I don’t know about you, but I have always suffered from recurring nightmares. I can’t say why these happen, but they often show themselves at times of stress. Just as I think I am about to mess up that important business deal, a fierce, teeth baring lion jumps on me in the middle of the night, or, just before the alarm goes off, I slip and fall off that same old chalk cliff. Only once did I dream about walking along a river bank in a romantic embrace with Brad Pitt – funny that, isn’t it?! My most frequent nightmare, though, is flunking all my exams, so that my life is completely over before it has even begun. I wake up with a start, only sinking back in to the pillow once I realise that it was only THAT bad dream again, and that my life really is okay. Phew..

So maybe I am a little crazy to go back to another life of study?

I have just been accepted (barring abysmal references) to a Masters Course in Anthrozoology at Exeter University, starting late in September 2024. I’m pretty chuffed with myself about this. I have little knowledge of Anthropology and near to zero experience of Zoology, but this feels like the perfect course for me. In a new field of study, the course will cover the relationships and interactions between humans and animals. The Anthropological angle is a fresh one ; researching the different views on animals in different parts of the world, and within societies. The contrasting views on blood sports and animal sacrifice are examples given in the course prospectus.

I don’t know where this course will take me in the future, but maybe after seeing the two sides of each of the debates, I can work to bring about small changes.

Underlying the, ‘charge’ here are the glaring facts : we lost 69% of Wildlife populations between 1970 and 2022 (WWF Living Planet Report 2022). In the mammal classification (of which we too are a part) this is now 4% of the total of mammals. Humans are then 36% and domesticated animals 60% (ecowatch May 2018). The statistics are only estimates, of course, but still mind-blowing. It is thought that there are 900 million domesticated dogs and 220 million domesticated cats in the world. When you think that the 8 billion humans are encouraged to become vegetarian, to save the planet, and yet the same people are pet owners to 1 billion mammals munching through juicy meat products out of expensive cans and glossy packets. Yes, me too, guilty as charged!

I can’t wait to start the new course. My only hope is that it doesn’t give me new nightmares.

Surely, at least, I won’t wake up from the nightmare saying, ‘life is over before it has begun’…..

(photos: jean-wimmerlin unsplash : modcatshop unsplash)