Is Denmark a Moral Country?

Thor, the German Shepherd Dog scheduled to be killed after falsely being accused of being a dangerous dog, was rescued in the most unlikely manner. It was a police officer, Lars Bo Lomholt, that abducted Thor the day before his execution and handed him over to people that are now keeping Thor hidden from the police. The story quickly became world news.

Lars was well aware of the fact that his actions would costs him his job, and maybe even worse. Still, he carried it through, as he said: "I was in conflict between my own morals and my duties as a police officer." Lars couldn't take it anymore and decided enough is enough.

Just a week earlier one of Denmark most famous singer's, Sanne Salomonsen, also decided enough is enough and let her morals prevail over her own safety. When Danish authorities didn't want to step in to rescue fifty-five dogs that were perishing in a Danish puppy mill, she stepped in, and rescued the dogs her self.

Also in the same week, a group of people like you and me - not fanatic animal rights activists - decided enough is enough as well, and made an attempt to rescue some of the dogs from the puppy mill by kidnapping them. And a 1000 more signed a petition within four days to put pressure on the police to act and spent time and effort writing letters to authorities demanding change.

One must at least wonder, when that many ordinary people, either a copper, a singer, or John Doe, feel so strong about their morals and are compelled to act, how many more feel disgusted and conflicted about what it is happening in their country and are soon ready to decide, enough is enough as well. Still, we are few.

Many more don't seem to have any conflict with their morals at all. The many that decide to report dogs like Thor to the police, well-knowing that will mean his death. The many that report their neighbor to the police for having a cross-breed looking like a banned breed, using a dog's life as a pawn in their futile neighbor dispute. The many that think 1400 innocent dogs killed so far is necessary collateral, so they can comfort themselves with a false sense of safety by eradicating certain breeds of dogs from their surroundings.

It must be the many, that elect themselves every year as the most happy people in the world, to celebrate their achievements.

The many have gotten the elected officials and politicians they deserve. Boosting their popularity and vote numbers by participating in popular game shows, weighing their statements and decisions on the popularity scale first and foremost, before lining up in front of the camera's for an interview.

You might wonder why I still live here? Because all my Danish friends are in the first group. And I now feel morally obliged to help them with all I can, to make this change.

Sometimes I long back to the Netherlands, at least Dutch politicians can act based on a moral belief. Like when BSL was abolished, because a politician simply meant "It cannot be morally justified that we sacrifice dogs based on their looks alone". Or more recently, when the Netherlands, as the number 2 producer in the world of mink fur, banned their mink farms. When asked if the production would not just move to another country, the responsible minister answered: "Yes it will, but it is not moral for us would we continue."

If you wonder who the number one producer of mink fur in the world is. Denmark. A country so rich. Rich in everything else than moral.

Rant out.

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