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AI Animal am I
AI Animal am I
To quote Kyle Whyte, “Many Indigenous Peoples are already living what their ancestors would call a dystopian future” and this piece truly exemplifies what it feels like to exist as such. In a world consumed with extractive technological progress, the most true form of resistance is embodying Earth-based traditions. As each day in the Anthropocene progresses, however, this reality of loss becomes all consuming.
AI Animal am I.docx
About the Author:
About the Author:
Tagwanibisan
Tagwanibisan
In her fictional prose debut, author Tagwanibisan Armitage-Smith (Algonquin/Mohawk/Irish) encapsulates the sinking feeling of challenging what the definition of progress truly means when human beings as animals has become a cultural taboo. Tagwanibisan urges everyone to consider themselves as Earth’s children and extend the respect you give to your birth mother onto our Earth Mother in turn
A Relationship With Animals, Without the Animals
A Relationship With Animals, Without the Animals
This project interrogates how a relationship with animals exists beyond the realm of physical interaction. Further, it analyzes how my own personal relationship and animal ethics have been crafted as a result of my environment, and how important it is to deconstruct that in order to truly understand the importance and necessity of a hands-off relationship with the animals that we share our world with.
About the Author:
About the Author:
Jessy
Jessy
Hi, I'm Jessy a recent graduate at uOttawa in the program of Communications. My parents were born and raised in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and immigrated in the late 90s to Canada, where my older brother and I were born and have been raised here since birth.
“Is that a beaver or a porcupine?” : A Creative Writer’s Experience in Nature
“Is that a beaver or a porcupine?” : A Creative Writer’s Experience in Nature
This project was essentially an excuse for me to do some creative writing as well as analyze my own tendencies during said writing. When I attempt to describe a natural setting, which animals make it into my description? Which don’t? And when they do appear, how do I describe them? And so, after finding a beautiful spot along the Trans Canada, I sat and wrote a piece of flash fiction. Then I did some research, some critical, and some analyzing. Finally, I wrote another piece based on the same setting, one in which my new observations came into play.
About the Author:
About the Author:
Elizabeth
Elizabeth
Hey there! My name’s Elizabeth Spencer and I’m a recently graduated English major whose eyes were yanked open by my first and only Animal Studies course. During life in quarantine, I enjoy going on walks (like the one in my project), diving back into my old middle school interests, and writing a ton of creative pieces that will never see the light of day.
The Stories of the Dogs I Have Met
The Stories of the Dogs I Have Met
Alexandra has met many dogs working as a dog walker. In the following post, Alexandra describes her experiences with these dogs, speaks about their different personalities, and details the lessons the dogs have taught her.
Bart, the Cocker Spaniel
Bart was 12 years old, yet he was incredibly energetic. Bart came into my care because he pulled a lot on the leash when he was walked. His owner found his pulling extremely hard to deal with and only took him on shorter walks due to this issue. Bart and I developed a routine where I would stop to allow him to sniff every few blocks, which decreased his pulling substantially. We would go for long walks to tire him out. Bart was homeless before he was rescued and due to his time on the streets, he would eat anything he could find. I had to be extra careful not to let him eat anything that could harm him. Bart also loved the water. In the summer, I would bring him to the river so he could swim. He was always delighted to swim and would jump headfirst into the water to cool down.
Bart was the first older dog that I walked. He taught me a lot about the views people hold about senior dogs. Unlike the young dogs, he was very easy-going, yet he was still incredibly active and playful. Many older dogs are surrendered to rescues each year and do not get adopted because people prefer puppies. People were always shocked when they found out his age, as he was the opposite of what people expected. Bart was always so excited to see me and would greet me with zoomies. He had such a curious and energetic personality and was the happiest to go for his walks. Bart showed me that even as the years pass, we can still find time to be excited and happy about things we have already experienced.
Lewis, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Lewis came into my care when he was a bit over one year old. His owner worked long hours, so they were looking for a dog walker to break up his day by taking him out at lunchtime. Although Lewis was the same breed as Owen, he had a very different temperament. Lewis ignored me for the most part. Unlike the other dogs whom I would walk, Lewis would not greet me excitedly. Instead, he would wait patiently by the door while I got him ready for his walk. Lewis was also incredibly timid. When we walked across a busy road, he would jump on me and make me carry him. Additionally, he was terrified of other dogs. When he saw other dogs at the park, he would stay far away from them and put his tail between his legs when they tried to play with him. However, his owner worked extremely hard with him to become less timid, and by the time the pandemic hit, he seemed to be much less fearful.
Although Lewis did not seem to attach much to me, I still enjoyed our walks very much. He was the only timid dog I walked, and through walking him, I had an important realization. I learned that dogs’ personalities have a lot of variation, just as humans do. Although people tend to view dogs as super extroverted and affectionate, some dogs are not like that. I learned to respect his boundaries, just as I would respect my friend's boundaries, and we had such lovely walks together.
About the Author:
About the Author:
Alexandra
Alexandra
Alexandra has graduated from her B.A in Psychology, and will be attending York University in the fall for her Masters in Psychology. Alexandra has grown up around animals, and shares a deep love for them. She has now worked as a dog walker for almost 2 years.
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