Heifer Int'l Says, "To End Poverty, Don't Have a Cow - Give One"

But Would PETA and Susan Sarandon Approve?

In another century, in another hemisphere, it was considered unforgivable if, when a daughter was presented in marriage to another family's son, a dowry was not provided. Normally this dowry would consist of, among other possibilities, acres of arable land, a few bolts of really good cloth, a lot of money and an animal or two, or perhaps a herd if the family was very wealthy or if the girl was especially unmarriageable. (e.g. was an "old maid" of 25 or had already been knocked up by somebody else.)

Today, all you need is to be of legal age in your particular state and not be married to anyone else (unless you live in Utah).

Now, because of an organization called Heifer International, you can give a goat to someone in another hemisphere, living in the previous century's economy, merely by going on-line with a credit card. Or simply call the 800 number in their catalog to buy someone a cow, a pig, a sheep, or a share of a sheep (but not a sheared sheep; they have to do that themselves). Or you can buy a trio of rabbits, a flock of chicks, a llama, or a bunch of honeybees. For five grand, there's even an "Ark" package, where you can buy some poor family two of pretty much anything you like, including guinea pigs, geese, donkeys, camels or water buffalo.

On the surface, this is a great concept. For only a few dollars, you can give a poor family in some war-torn country or oppressive dictatorship a chance to improve their lot by buying them a goat or cow that will provide milk, a sheep that will provide wool for garments for their own warmth or which they could sell for income to buy food.

Here are a few of the benefits that Heifer, International claims have been made possible due to your contribution:

• Christine Makahumure helped mend the wounds from Rwanda's genocidal civil war when she passed on the gift of a calf to a desperate neighbor. (gee, I thought all it took was billions and billions of dollars in UN aid)

• Carlos Hernandez in Bolivia passed on a lamb to another family in need. (who killed it)