Santorum Receives Praise from Liberals

Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) is not known as a friend to liberals. But he is a friend to animals and, by association, has won praise from animal rights groups. Most recently, Santorum has introduced legislation that would regulate so-called puppy mills that churn our puppies and kittens and are often criticized for operating under inhumane conditions.

Santorum says animal rights shouldn’t just be a liberal cause.

"To me, it's part of a society that's caring, sensitive to life," Santorum said in a recent interview. "Obviously, the life of animals is fundamentally different than the life of a human being. But to me, we have a responsibility to God's creatures to treat them humanely, and the government's laws should reflect that."

I’ve always thought our ability to love animals is one of the great things that make us human. We have no innate obligation to invite dogs and cats into our homes and care for them. But we do and they become members of our families, posing in our photographs, playing with our children, traveling with us on vacation and mourned in their deaths. Good for Santorum for recognizing the value of these animals. He’s right, animal rights shouldn’t be a left or right issue. It’s really just about being decent human beings.