As Father's Day approaches this week, it gives us an opportunity, not only to honor our relatives and friends who are fathers, but also to honor fathers of other species. The timing of Dad's day is interesting since, for species, other than humans, many are tending to their new babies right now. Father birds are helping mother birds to guard and feed their tiny chicks. Beaver dads and prairie dog dads are playing with their little ones and teaching them survival skills. Who knows what stories they may tell them at bedtime or what lullabies they might sing.

We know now, after so much research has been done on animal sentience and emotion, that we cannot possibly deny that there are intricacies and sweet intimacies that many father animals share with their youngsters.

Mother animals in labs, animal agriculture, slaughterhouses, fur farms, puppy mills, and in other miserable situations are suffering from rape and from the continual loss of their babies. Father animals suffer likewise. I think of the father wolves watching in agony as their families, babies included, are shot from helicopters; the father gorillas attempting in vain to protect their families from poachers; the father prairie dogs unable to stop the poisoning of their entire clans by farmers.

Fathers in the agricultural industry are routinely raped for their semen and are never given the opportunity to live out their natural longing to protect and nurture their families. Roosters who are allowed to live with hens and see their babies hatch certainly seem to celebrate the event.

As our prayers and our actions continue to awaken humanity to this ongoing war against innocent mothers and fathers and babies, let us hold in our hearts this week a special place for the father animals of earth. We send them peace; we send them truth; we send them love-and a message-we will not give up until you and your families are all together and free.