Did Marius need to die?
Not a good day for those of us who have misgivings about zoos. The story of Marius, the young, healthy giraffe killed by a Danish zoo because he was not needed for their breeding program is one that I find infuriating, for at least one other zoo offered to take Marius. The story of the mother lion and cubs put down at Longleat is also troubling. In both cases, the attitude of the zoos harkens back to the idea that animals are property to be disposed of as the owners see fit, and I do not accept that, for this mindset hampered the acceptance of anti-cruelty laws for years. It is only fairly recently that society has come around to the position that owning an animal does not mean its owner can neglect or abuse it with impunity.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/09/world/e...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...
On the bad winter front, the UK’s weather woes continue, with flooding along the Thames and the city of Worcester cut off from the rest of the world. Worcester is, of course, the final resting place of King John, who had his own unpleasant experience with water during his crossing of the Wash not long before his death. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26111598
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/09/world/e...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...
On the bad winter front, the UK’s weather woes continue, with flooding along the Thames and the city of Worcester cut off from the rest of the world. Worcester is, of course, the final resting place of King John, who had his own unpleasant experience with water during his crossing of the Wash not long before his death. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26111598
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Wanda
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Feb 09, 2014 11:10AM
Heartbreaking. Brought tears to my eyes.
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I was horrified when I read this. A complete abuse of this zoo's responsibility and moral obligation to the animals in it's care. I don't have an issue with properly run zoos and I think they have an important job to do but this was just wrong. Sadly their actions just gave ammunition to extremist animal rights groups.
This is just awful. You don't just throw animals away.
To many zoos see themselves as businesses first and not habitats for these animals. If you cant hack it, close down and transfer your animals elsewhere. There are always reputable places looking to take them. Unfortunately, the world is full of stupid people!
Outrageous!! What were these people thinking? And the stonewalling certainly doesn't help. (I really had to tone down my response to this, otherwise I might have been banned from your blog.)
This whole episode sickens me. Besides the senseless slaughter of a young and healthy animal, they thought it was proper to disect it in front of a crowd of little children! Preposterous. What kind of message are they sending? In the name of science they say? Their reasoning...if you put the tag 'in the name of science' on it you are allowed to do anything you choose with impunity?
I can easily forgive my medieval ancestors their travesties against animals because they didn't know any better. Besides they were also cruel to their own. I can never forgive the modern day profiteering human species for what they do to other species. Zoos should be hospitals for animals nothing less than that. If it is immoral to catch random humans and throw them in cages for entertainment why is it acceptable to do this to wild animals? Profit makes it moral?
There was no excuse for this. People tried to buy him, several zoos offered to take him, and he was not ill or suffering in any way ( other than being a resident of the Copenhagen Zoo )First the dolphin slaughter, then this. WHAT is up with Denmark????
Judith wrote: "This whole episode sickens me. Besides the senseless slaughter of a young and healthy animal, they thought it was proper to disect it in front of a crowd of little children! Preposterous. What kind..."MANY hideous things have been done in the name of "science", Hitler's sterilization programs and the Holocaust not the least of them. Science, like statistics can be manipulated to allow evil to occur.
I thought exactly the same thing, what the Nazi's did in the name of science... I hesitated to draw that analogy, not wanting to sound over the top. I see I was not the only one who thought this.
A very sad episode, and very poorly thought out by the decision makers at the zoo. While I empathize with those who feel that the zoo behaved cruelly, and share concern for undue harm done to animals; I am made very nervous by a handful of above comments drawing equal signs between animal life and human life.
I am not insinuating that human and animal life should always be equal in consideration, we should however act with humanity toward all. The point I was trying to make is this, the zoo said they made their decision in the name of science, as if saying 'in the name of science' is always a reason to allow anyone to do anything they choose. The analogy is that the Nazi's said their experiments on people were 'in the name of science' and we know where that lead. Not everything should be allowed, just because someone can claim a scientific reason for it.
I agree with you that we should act with humanity towards all, and that scientific reason does not trump moral consideration.I merely pointed a concern that the equal sign is to easily brought into play where it does not belong (not just by you).
I can see where you are trying to go with your analogy, and I appreciate where the logic, but would like to point out that many of the Nazi's who carried out the horrible atrocities you mention would never have dreamed of doing the same to animals.
I love it that my readers are so civil in expressing disagreement, as you both have been doing, Judith and Chrissy. Anyone who has spent any time on the Internet knows that it can be an incredibly ugly place, which I think contributes to the way in which society has become so polarized, so dysfunctional. My readers seem to be the exception to that nasty trend, bless them. If only courtesy could be contagious!
Chrissy wrote: "I agree with you that we should act with humanity towards all, and that scientific reason does not trump moral consideration.I merely pointed a concern that the equal sign is to easily brought int..."
You are definately right about the Nazi's being more civil to animals than to humans. Makes you wonder about the word 'humane' doesn't it?
Sharon wrote: "I love it that my readers are so civil in expressing disagreement, as you both have been doing, Judith and Chrissy. Anyone who has spent any time on the Internet knows that it can be an incredibly..."Agreed.
I believe that when we behave inhumanely to animals, it deadens our feelings and is just another step along the way to treating people the same way.
I agree, Roberta. Studies have shown that people who are cruel to animals are more prone to being cruel to other people, especially the vulnerable ones.
In this day and age I don't believe in zoos. We have television and the internet, let that suffice.I was so upset about that giraffe and the fact that it could have been saved! Shame on them!...But as for me, I never visit zoo's-It is just too sad to see wild animals caged up.
Just my thoughts....
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