DEAR READERS: According to the Chinese zodiac, we are entering the Year of the Horse -- specifically, the Fire Horse. With a good stride and a little horse sense, we might all get a better perspective on life beyond pride and wealth.

According to Qineng Tan, Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, Ph.D., the practitioners at Art of Wellness Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, “In Chinese astrology, the Horse symbolizes vitality, independence and the pursuit of freedom. When combined with the Fire element, the Horse brings intense, passionate energy. The Fire Horse inspires bold action, confidence and creativity, but also calls for balance and mindfulness to keep from burning out.”

We are all being taken for a ride with generative AI and chatbots. Millions of young minds are being shaped by these technologies, which churn out dopamine rushes from proliferating data centers that destroy the natural environment with their water and energy demands. The end-users with their smartphones are escalating carbon emissions worldwide, while Apple and other manufacturers claim otherwise. (See greenly.earth/en-us/blog/industries/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-the-iphone.)

The electropollution and climate change contributions of these devices and systems are currently being ignored in some kind of misguided, technocratic race without any guardrails. Fueled partly by American tech companies, “governments around the globe are racing to deploy generative AI systems and training in schools and universities,” per a Jan. 2 New York Times article by Natasha Singer. At least in Finland, schoolchildren are being taught how to recognize disinformation on the internet.

All children with new toys need guardrails and rules. The risks of the misuse (and trivial use) of AI need to be tempered to reap any potential benefits it may have -- medical, scientific or existential. AI could accelerate bioinformatics and molecular and genetic engineering, for better or for worse -- from bioplastics and bio-fermentation to bioweapons and biopesticides.

While embracing the possible benefits of some technologies, we must remember to seek the divine in nature. The "imago dei" was very evident to me in the four cottontail rabbits eating the food I had put out for them on my deck while writing this column! Neither they, nor I, need AI to engage with the beauty of the natural world. Technology can never match it, and will only continue to harm us until fossil fuel use is prohibited and greener energy sources are adopted.

In his 1923 book "I and Thou," Austrian-Israeli philosopher Martin Buber stated that meaningful existence is found in the "I-Thou" relationship with all living beings. When extended to the divine, this becomes a dialogue with the “Eternal Thou” (God). We must seek these I-Thou connections -- with a horse or any other sentient being we encounter.

AI, properly applied, could facilitate our transition to eudaimonia -- a state of happiness and well-being -- in the Year of the Fire Horse. My dear friend, the late Father Thomas Berry, called this the ecozic era in human evolution, characterized by humans moving from destructive impulses to a mutually enhancing, respectful relationship with the Earth. It could be an era where we see the planet as a communion of subjects, not objects, and foster an integral Earth community for all life.

This a call to transition from an anthropocentric to an eco-centric worldview for all governments, industries and professions, including the veterinary profession.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I am truly baffled by “animal rescuers” who have convinced themselves that humane euthanasia is the worst thing that can happen to a companion animal. They surely have not seen the tragedies that I have been forced to witness.

This “no-kill” movement has swept our country, virtually closing open-admission shelters and ensuring that many more dogs and cats are simply dumped by the roadside. These animals will still die, but are now made to suffer untold horrors first.

I served on the board of directors of one such no-kill group until I sadly realized that the individuals practicing TND (trap-neuter-dump) were doing more harm than good. There is a multitude of ways that these animals will suffer before taking their final breaths.

I hope that you can encourage your readers to think about the sad, but inescapable, conclusion that these cats and dogs are ultimately going to die. The only question should be: Do we make them suffer for extended periods first, just so that we feel better? -- J.M., Cincinnati, Ohio

DEAR J.M.: I have addressed this issue in past columns and it does need revisiting. I link this “no-kill” movement to the pro-life sentiment that actually kills compassionate responsibility for abandoned and surrendered cats and dogs.

Thousands of cats are being neutered, vaccinated against rabies and then released to fend for themselves. Those who do not survive by killing songbirds and other wildlife for food will be assured a slow death from starvation, exposure and disease. Other no-kill shelters simply warehouse dogs and cats, whose quality of life is abysmal at best. A sickening version of this are the pet hoarders who take more stray animals into their homes than they can properly care for.

I sympathize with shelter staff who would prefer not to have to humanely euthanize animals that are not adopted, but that is a responsible act for a largely irresponsible community of pet owners.

For more details, see these posts on my website: drfoxonehealth.com/post/outdoor-cats-wildlife-and-human-health and drfoxonehealth.com/post/dogs-in-shelters-temperament-tests-exercise-issues.

RECALLED: COUNTRY VET, HEARTLAND HARVEST PET TREATS

Consumers Supply Distributing has recalled 4-pound bags of Country Vet Biscuits and Heartland Harvest Dog Biscuits that may be contaminated with salmonella. The products have an expiration date of Sept. 6, 2026, and were sold in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska and Texas. (Full story: KECI-TV, Montana, Jan. 1)

ILLINOIS VETS CAN GRANT RABIES VACCINE EXEMPTIONS

A new law in Illinois allows veterinarians to grant rabies vaccine exemptions for pets at risk of health complications. The law formalizes a practice that veterinarians have long followed. “There are certain animals where vaccination could pose serious health concerns ... (such as) animals that have severe anaphylactic reactions to vaccination. While rare, it does happen,” said Kate Brucker, president of the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association. (Full story: thecentersquare.com, Dec. 31)

All states should allow veterinary discretion on this issue, since a total vaccination mandate can put some animals at risk. But I am not an anti-vaxxer, since the benefits of vaccinations outweigh the risks for both companion animals and people.

MORE RABIES CONCERNS IN THE NEWS

A dog in Chicago is the first in Illinois to test positive for rabies since 1994. The dog had been vaccinated in June, but might have had contact with a rabid animal prior to vaccination. The dog was euthanized due to behavioral issues on Dec. 18 and then tested for rabies.

Clinical signs of rabies infection can take up to a year to develop. Public health officials are investigating the specific strain of rabies identified, and are assessing people who had contact with the dog to determine whether post-exposure prophylaxis is needed. (Full story: WMAQ-TV, Chicago, Dec. 22)

A family in Perry Township, Pennsylvania, faced significant challenges after being bitten by a semi-feral cat that later tested positive for rabies, exposing gaps in the state’s animal control system. The family struggled to get the cat tested for rabies and get treatment for themselves, ultimately incurring tens of thousands of dollars in medical costs. Pennsylvania’s piecemeal approach to animal control divides responsibilities among agencies, often leaving residents without clear guidance or support. (Full story: PennLive.com, Dec. 22)

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR READERS: The current deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in the U.S. is psychotically dehumanizing, as agents act with reckless impunity. Ask Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, about compassion. Recall Elon Musk asserting last spring that “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.”

From that state of mind, then, comes the MAHA movement (Make America Healthy Again), which paradoxically encourages the consumption of beef, butter, lard and tallow -- all linked to cardiovascular risks. The U.S. imports billions of tons of beef each year, much of it from Brazil and Argentina, where there is massive destruction of rainforests, grasslands and wetlands.

Here at home, genetically engineered corn and soybeans, both saturated with pesticides, are grown under federal subsidies. Per USAFacts.org, "In 2024, the government provided $9.3 billion in subsidy payments to farmers for commodity crops. Subsidies made up 5.9% of total farm earnings that year, with the most funding going to corn, soybeans and cotton."

Such crops are largely used to feed polluting aggregations of livestock and poultry in factory farms. It was in one of these animal factory farms that the H5N1 avian influenza virus first evolved. The impact of this virus on wildlife, on the poultry industry and, to a lesser extent, the dairy industry, has been devastating. So far, very few people have been infected (and one pig). As I detail in my book “One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives,” the H5N1 virus is anthropogenic, and could lead to another pandemic.

In the new America, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, as honest economists are reporting. The entire executive branch is hell-bent on get-rich schemes, promoting cryptocurrency and putting public health at risk in many ways. Besides promoting beef and animal fats, our leaders are burning more coal, oil and gas while denying climate change; cutting federal funding of alternative, "green" energy sources, which are urgently needed for proliferating data centers; dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency; and gutting the Endangered Species Act.

From a rational, holistic perspective, all these initiatives amount to an empathy-deficit disorder of increasing severity and impairment. This is exemplified by the closure of USAID, which helped millions in need around the world. This needs to be quickly rectified in order to recover a free, democratic society.

DOG ON PEACE WALK ACROSS U.S. WITH BUDDHIST MONKS

A group of Buddhist monks are walking 2,300 miles from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C. to spread peace and compassion. They are joined by their rescue dog, Aloka -- a former stray from India. Aloka began following a group of monks who were there on a 100-day journey and has stayed with them ever since, now joining them on their peace walk across the American South.

Aloka is about 4 years old and is likely an Indian pariah dog, according to the monks. He receives regular veterinary checkups along the journey, and he rests when he needs to. "Aloka the Peace Dog" now has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, helping fulfill the monks' goal of spreading contentment, love and peace.

DEAR DR. FOX: My partner and I want to thank you for writing about the benefits of having two cats. We adopted a kitten from an animal shelter, and then my partner read your recommendations. We went right back to the shelter a few days later and adopted the kitten’s young mother, who was still there.

It was wonderful to see how the two greeted each other. Now they play together, groom each other and entertain us with their antics! -- H.W., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR H.W.: I wish more animal shelters would wise up and encourage people to adopt two kittens from the same litter, or a mother and one or more kittens. I detail the emotional and physical benefits for cats, and provide other insights, in my book “Cat Body, Cat Mind: Exploring Your Cat’s Consciousness and Total Well-Being.” It is regrettable that some animal adoption staff feel that cats bond better with people when they only take one cat.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)