The cruelty that reveals the world: what the Orelha dog case says about us

CLÁUDIA SANTOS ♦

The violent death of the community dog Orelha, in Florianópolis/SC, was not only shocking because of the brutality of the act of murder by teenagers. The episode made national news because it exposed a deeper wound: the moral, emotional and spiritual state of a society that still lives with the trivialization of violence, especially against the most defenseless.

For Irvênia L. S. Prada (photo), a veterinary doctor, university professor and one of Brazil's leading references on the interface between animal welfare and spirituality, the case cannot be analyzed as an isolated fact. According to the Spiritist Doctrine, it reveals the characteristics of a planet that still lives under the regime of trials and atonements, but which is already beginning to polarize between good and evil.

“Today there is a portion of humanity committed to the good, aware that we will only be happy when we plant happiness. However, there is also a great need for the Gospel, for moral and spiritual education, so that all forms of life are respected,” he says.

“Violence against animals doesn't come out of nowhere: it reveals deep weaknesses in the moral, emotional and spiritual state of society.”

Violence against animals: a sign of moral and spiritual fragility

From a Spiritist point of view, acts of cruelty against animals don't come out of nowhere. They reflect profound weaknesses in the educational process and in the moral development of the individuals involved. For Irvênia, teenagers who commit this type of violence show an evolutionary state that is still immature, marked by the absence of consistent moral education and spiritual values that have been internalized since childhood.

“Education isn't just about imposing rules. It's about forming a conscience. It's putting God's name in children's hearts from an early age,” she emphasizes. Even so, she ponders that parents' efforts are not always enough: there are reluctant spirits who take pleasure in the evil and suffering of others, bringing from other existences moral inclinations that are difficult to transform quickly. Even in this situation, responsibility does not disappear. On the contrary, it becomes even more evident.

“Educating isn't just about imposing rules, it's about forming a conscience, and that starts at an early age.”

Individual and collective responsibility

For the expert, the Orelha episode involves both personal and collective responsibility. Spirits who come together to commit an act of this nature share moral and vibratory affinities. There is individual choice, but also a group dynamic sustained by attunement to evil.

This reading is also supported by scientific studies. Irvênia cites research that points to violence against animals as a strong indicator of domestic violence, especially against children, women and the elderly. In view of this, she makes an important warning: “Where there is cruelty to animals, there is often invisible human suffering”.

Animals: evolving spiritual beings

One of the central points of Irvênia Prada's spiritist reflection is the role of animals in the evolutionary process. Far from being objects or soulless beings, animals are, according to the Spiritist codification, evolving spirits, endowed with intelligence and a spiritual principle that survives the death of the physical body.

In The Spirits' Book, In question no. 597, the Spirits state that animals have a principle independent of matter: “They are our companions on the evolutionary journey”. This understanding breaks with the old anthropocentric paradigm - centered exclusively on the human being - and points to a new model: the biocentric paradigm, in which all forms of life are part of a great cosmic network of interdependence. “No one is better than anyone else. Each being occupies its place and performs its function. The harmony of the whole depends on respect between the parts,” he summarizes.

“Animals are not objects or soulless beings: they are evolving spirits, our companions on the journey.”.

Animal suffering and spiritual repercussions

The suffering imposed on Orelha, according to Irvênia, has clear spiritual repercussions. For the aggressors, there is moral responsibility and inevitable consequences, governed by the Law of Cause and Effect - the divine law inscribed in the human conscience, as Kardec teaches in question no. 621 of The Spirits' Book.

For the animal, there is no punishment or atonement, because animals do not yet have a full moral conscience. Rather, there is spiritual support. “It's possible that he was spiritually assisted so that he wouldn't suffer even more,” he ponders.

She points out, however, that suffering is not an evolutionary bargaining chip. In the human case, it can be a learning opportunity, depending on the inner attitude. For animals, violence represents psychic and spiritual aggression, which reinforces humanity's need for protection and care.

Justice, responsibility and not revenge

Faced with the public commotion, marked by revolt and a desire for punishment, Irvênia makes an important point: justice is not to be confused with revenge. The Spiritist Doctrine defends the accountability of acts, but always associated with love and charity: “Revenge does not educate, does not repair and does not transform. True justice seeks learning, repentance and a change in conduct.”.

In this sense, she believes that the young people involved in the case have, despite the seriousness of the act, the opportunity for moral reparation through good work, especially with NGOs and animal protection initiatives.

Where are we failing as a society?

For Irvênia Prada, the fault starts early. Moral education needs to start in the cradle, in the family environment, and be reinforced by school and society. Although everyone has a responsibility, she is emphatic that the family is the fundamental cell for ethical education.

“Are we teaching empathy or just imposing rules?” he asks. Rules are necessary, especially in childhood, but they need to go hand in hand with the formation of a moral conscience, so that the good is chosen out of conviction and not out of fear of punishment.

The challenge for the Spiritist Movement

The expert is also self-critical of the Spiritist Movement, which, according to her, still speaks little about the animal cause. Despite advances, the issue faces resistance, even in environments that preach love and morality.

She has been coordinating initiatives in this area for over 40 years and leads the Veterinary Medicine and Spirituality Center (NUVET), linked to the Medical-Spiritist Association, with groups in Brazil and Europe. Even so, he recognizes that there is a long way to go: “It's not enough to talk about love for animals and continue funding practices that cause suffering, such as shows or forms of exploitation. We need moral coherence”.

Turning pain into awareness

For Irvênia Prada, episodes like that of the dog Orelha should serve as a warning and an opportunity for transformation. Collective pain can, and must, be converted into awareness, education and real changes in behavior.

The spiritual message that remains is clear: there can be no spiritual progress without respect for life. Intellectual education is important, but without moral education it is insufficient. “The planet will only leave the condition of trials and expiations when we invest seriously in the moral formation of children, from a very early age,” he concludes.

“There is no spiritual progress without respect for all forms of life.”

Check out the full interview here:

References

KARDEC, Allan. The Spirits' Book. Translation by Guillon Ribeiro. 93. ed. Brasília, DF: FEB, 2019. Available at: https://www.febnet.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/WEB-Livro-dos-Esp%C3%ADritos-Guillon-1.pdf. Accessed on: January 30, 2026.

PRADA, Irvênia L. S. The soul of animals. Matão, SP: O Clarim, 2023.

PRADA, Irvênia L. S. The spiritual question of animals. São Paulo: FE Editora, 2018.

PRADA, Irvênia L. S. Animals in the evolutionary school according to the works of André Luiz. São Paulo: FE Editora, 2025.