Costa Rica has made hunting illegal. We need to do the same. They will also eventually free all animals from their zoos into safe habitats. While out hiking I came across a mother moose caught in a trap – terrified and yelling with pain. Her baby was right beside her – confused and in shock. All animals have emotions. (just take a look at any pet dog). They have emotions like we have because they have souls just like we do. They want to be treated with love and respect just like us. They want their freedom just like we want ours. They have a nervous system just like we do enabling them to feel pain and sorrow and happiness also. Animals are here to experience life and develop their souls just as we are. We now have the capability to feed ourselves without eating animals. And more and more studies are showing the health benefits of a plant based diet. Ex-President Bill Clinton has switched to a vegan diet. When we look at animals as objects of consumption we lose. Our soul is diminished because we lose the ability to have compassion and love for other life forms. If we are at peace with nature and it’s wildlife we expand our consciousness and awareness and are more at peace with ourselves! I ask President Obama to make this huge step forward and leave this as a memorial to his term in office. Let this be a “Trigger of Conscience” that the President has recently been talking about.