“Good Shepherd Compassion”
Always Free Since 1983

Counseling People / Rescuing Animals

Sid Galloway, BS, MDIV (Chose to Not Complete My PhD – see the ABOUT page) – Just an OLD sheepdog – Retired family counselor, conflict mediator, science educator, and former wild animal rescue-rehabilitator whose interests and essays explore psychology, theology, science, philosophy of science, consciousness, compassion, and human & animal behavior.
My views have changed significantly over the past 30 years of presence on the internet. So, please note if you find old online articles by me, or old posts by other people about me, they probably don’t represent my current worldview. Always a life-long student & researcher of human-animal psychology and behavior (Anthrozoology).

MY RETIRED FOCUS IS NOW BACK TO ANIMALS – YET STILL FOR PEOPLE – especially children – Now in my later years I hope the lessons and stories from the hundreds of wild, exotic, & domestic animal friends in my past and present can serve as a bridge to encourage hearts and stimulate humble, cooperative conversation. My goal is to encourage discussion about suffering in the world and the urgent need for people to consistently practice compassionate love for all humans and animals – especially “others” – even those who appear to act like our “enemies. Regarding enemies, obviously loving is not the same as trusting. Yes, there is goodness and joy in this world, but also horrific suffering. The question for all of us is – “How can our lives individually and collectively become more effective causes of good for all struggling sentient beings (human and animal)?

STORIES – Everyone’s life is a uniquely fluid, ongoing story among countless others that together blend into the big story of history. Now at nearly 70, my own small story has involved over 45 professional years simultaneously doing my best to serve in the overlapping areas of Counseling-Psychology (Individuals, Couples, Families, often with AAT – Animal-Assisted Therapy), Conflict-Resolution, and Science-Philosophy Education (teaching adults college level counseling-psychology, philosophy of science, – & teaching teens college prep biology), plus throughout it all, always Animal Rescue/Rehabilitation (exotic, wild, domestic – literally elephants, lions, tigers, & bears, plus otters, raccoons, dogs, cats, cows, pigs, chickens, & many many more). Two favorites of the 100’s of personal stories involves my gentle giant tiger friends, Akela & Raksi (see the photo above) — way back when I served as their daily caregiver and enrichment companion at the New Orleans Audubon (conservation) Zoo decades ago.

Sid Galloway BS, M.DIV. (PH.D.? not quite – see the about page)

“Ask the animals and they will teach you,
… that the hand of the Creator [Who is love] has done this.
… In God’s hand is the soul [nephesh] of every creature ...
wisdom is found among the aged …
    long life brings understanding …
To God belong wisdom and power;
    counsel and understanding.”
Job 12:7-13

Dr. Marcelo Gleiser PhD – Agnostic, theoretical physicist, cosmologist, philosopher of science
“Despite significant advance, the earliest moments and the fundamental cause
of the Universe’s inception remain shrouded in mystery – perhaps forever so.”
“Indeed, there is a nuanced role for faith-based belief within science,
and it is arguably needed in order to advance knowledge of the natural world.”

Photos: Mini-Mule DAVY / Leopard MANDY / Elephant JEAN

• DAVY the mini-mule is one of my newest animal friends where we moved in Texas.
  (I was for a while Davy’s service-human, helping him learn to trust and enjoy human touch & care.)
• Clouded-Leopard MANDY 45 years ago was my best exotic animal friend & mutual therapist.
  (I was her caregiver & comfort trainer at the Audubon (conservation) Zoo in New Orleans.)
• Gentle Elephant JEAN was only 10 years old when I started as her caregiver at the zoo.
  (Jean is still there. She’s an old lady just as I’m now an old man. For many years after I left the zoo to become a counselor and teacher, I’d take my students and counselees to interact with her in AAT)

NEW LONG-ESSAY OR BOOK COMING —
Amazing Wild-Exotic-Domestic Animal Friends I’ve Been Privileged to Know, Love, & Serve: Animals Who’ve Helped Heal 100’s of Hearts Through Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) 
– of my friends the lions, tigers, bears, wolves, hyenas, … elephants, dogs, otters, raccoons, owls, ducks, etc ….
– each one a personality Suzy, Scotty, Bratar, Akela, Rakshi, Banu, Byomi, Jean, Panya, Bartley, Scotty, Ollie, …..
– they were were personal therapists to me from childhood, throughout adulthood, and now ….

* A STATEMENT ON ZOOS & CAPTIVE ANIMALS —  The subject is understandably controversial, with many good people having different valuable perspectives. Have you had negative feelings about zoos and captive animals? I empathize with you! If you research carefully, you will find that good, bad, and very ugly exists across the wide range of facilities and activities. When it’s bad and ugly, it’s sadly easy to see — while the good and wonderful is often more subtle and behind the scenes. The best of facilities are motivated and designed around compassion, conservation, and education. Their animals are loved and protected by their caregiver keepers, and enjoy far better lives than those in the “wild” who must struggle and suffer violent competitive survival of the fittest, coolest, and cruelest, against predators, disease, drought, floods, fires, etc. Without captive animals, many species would otherwise go extinct. And the educational impact of new generations seeing, hearing, and caring about their local captive animal “friends” motivates actions to preserve and protect the world’s natural habitats and inhabitants.