Sarah Palin posted a photo on social media showing that she allows her son Trig to abuse their family dog by using it as a step stool. Palin posted the animal cruelty picture to her Facebook page along with several jubilant notes of celebration about how her son was stepping on the dog, referring to her dog as “lazy” and proudly suggesting that a good way to treat lazy animals is to stand on them if they are in the way, People reports.
Palin stated “Happy New Year! May 2015 see every stumbling block turned into a stepping stone on the path forward. Trig just reminded me. He, determined to help wash dishes with an oblivious mama not acknowledging his signs for ‘up!’, found me and a lazy dog blocking his way. He made his stepping stone.”
The picture has sparked outrage, especially among those in the animal rights community. Palin has been barraged by many angry Tweets condemning the photo as abuse. So far, over 15,500 people have commented under her Facebook post. Many pointed out that it is up to Sarah Palin to teach her own children respect for animals. One woman stated:
Young kids often don’t understand how much discomfort or pain they are causing the dog, which is why it’s up to parents to intervene, even when the dog “seems” to be putting up with it. This is NOT ok, and this is how dogs who were “so good with the kids” end up snapping back one day and end up losing their lives. Especially with a special needs child, parents need to use COMMON SENSE and protect both their children and pets.
The comment refers to Trig’s status as a special needs child because he has Down Syndrome. Others stated that they generally support Palin, but that her allowing her son to abuse their family dog is “shocking” and displays a “missing link of compassion.”
Several animal professionals and dog trainers weighed in, with one calling the photo a “worst case scenario” and warning that it could lead to a serious accident, after which the dog might have to be put down, as has occurred in similar cases where an animal was abused and then finally snapped.
The comments are continuing to pour in over people upset at Palin’s actions. “This has nothing to do with politics,” one person wrote, “…but I have seen how insensitive she is to her pet.”
Photo credit: Flickr