Shouldn't the Tyger get her turn at bat?
Christmas night, when I heard the news of the SF Zoo tiger, Tatiana, out of her enclosure, attacking three young men and killing one, I knew two things for certain and had one conviction of what should be/have been done.
This based on nearly 10 years experience as a docent at the SF Zoo.
1. They had been taunting and throwing things at the tiger and climbing over the protective fence. Anyone who has ever worked at, volunteered at, spent time at a zoo knows that young males facing primates or carnivores, get all brave and tough (since the thing that scares them is locked up).
There was no question in my mind. During 10 years as a docent there, I stopped many many many young (and middle-aged) men from throwing things at the animals or trying to climb over the fence to go in with Kodiak Bears, lions, etc.
I once stopped a grown man from throwing a wadded-up wet piece of cloth at Cobby, the alpha male chimp.
When I said "Hey, don't do that," this man, well-dressed and apparently in his 30's, pushed out his lip and pointed to Cobby and said "HE started it."
Unbelievable.
I said "He's a fucking ape and he's trapped in there. What the fuck are you?"
A few more seconds of pugnacious posturing and suddenly he remembered his human form and relaxed and said, "Oh, yeah, right." And dropped the wet cloth ball and walked away.
People get very very strange when viewing primates or carnivores.
I have MANY TIMES seen fathers hold a small child out over the moat at a tiger or lion enclosure saying something like "I'm gonna throw you in there. What do you think about that?" And I have noticed the expression on the face of the 1 or 2 or 3 - year old to whom it's being done and what it looks like, what the kid thinks about that, judging from his expression, is
"As soon as I'm big enough, I will kill you while you sleep."
2. As I said, anyone who has been around a zoo for any period of time knowns that this happens and SHOULD make certain the poor tormented animal can't get out and give the smug little pricks what they so clearly are asking for, i.e., a head-to-head.
Those two things I KNOW absolutely, regardless of what the lawyers have done to prevent anyone from getting the straight story.
And the thing that I absolutely believe should be done in that situation?
What can be done to convince people not to torutre captive animals?
Throw the little fucks in with the animal they're taunting and let them see what natural law is all about
("This is the way of natural law / Sharp of tooth and red of claw")
The terrible thing about this particular incident is that the one kid who WASN'T taunting the tiger was killed.
It's too late to throw the worthless little shits in with the tiger, she having died for their fun, but they should be prosecuted for manslaughter, for having recklessly endangered their friend and caused his death.
And throw them in with the beasts serving time at the Gladiator School in Chino, let them see and feel what the law of jungle they find so amusing is really like.
************************************
There are more people concerned with Animal Rights than most people think.
And concern for the rights of animals is not just the joke so many self-absorbed assholes try to make of it.
And let us not forget the danger sign of a budding sociopath is his or her willingness and enjoyment of inflicting pain on animals.
*********************************
The San Francisco Zoo has long regarded itself as an Ark -- a DNA repository to keep animals from becoming extinct, even if they're wiped out in the wild. It's a noble goal. But letting assholes come in for their amusement isn't.
A baby Harp seal waddles into a bar, and the bartender says,
"What'll ya have?"
And the seal says,
"Anything but a Canadian Club."
***************************************
This based on nearly 10 years experience as a docent at the SF Zoo.
1. They had been taunting and throwing things at the tiger and climbing over the protective fence. Anyone who has ever worked at, volunteered at, spent time at a zoo knows that young males facing primates or carnivores, get all brave and tough (since the thing that scares them is locked up).
There was no question in my mind. During 10 years as a docent there, I stopped many many many young (and middle-aged) men from throwing things at the animals or trying to climb over the fence to go in with Kodiak Bears, lions, etc.
I once stopped a grown man from throwing a wadded-up wet piece of cloth at Cobby, the alpha male chimp.
When I said "Hey, don't do that," this man, well-dressed and apparently in his 30's, pushed out his lip and pointed to Cobby and said "HE started it."
Unbelievable.
I said "He's a fucking ape and he's trapped in there. What the fuck are you?"
A few more seconds of pugnacious posturing and suddenly he remembered his human form and relaxed and said, "Oh, yeah, right." And dropped the wet cloth ball and walked away.
People get very very strange when viewing primates or carnivores.
I have MANY TIMES seen fathers hold a small child out over the moat at a tiger or lion enclosure saying something like "I'm gonna throw you in there. What do you think about that?" And I have noticed the expression on the face of the 1 or 2 or 3 - year old to whom it's being done and what it looks like, what the kid thinks about that, judging from his expression, is
"As soon as I'm big enough, I will kill you while you sleep."
2. As I said, anyone who has been around a zoo for any period of time knowns that this happens and SHOULD make certain the poor tormented animal can't get out and give the smug little pricks what they so clearly are asking for, i.e., a head-to-head.
Those two things I KNOW absolutely, regardless of what the lawyers have done to prevent anyone from getting the straight story.
And the thing that I absolutely believe should be done in that situation?
What can be done to convince people not to torutre captive animals?
Throw the little fucks in with the animal they're taunting and let them see what natural law is all about
("This is the way of natural law / Sharp of tooth and red of claw")
The terrible thing about this particular incident is that the one kid who WASN'T taunting the tiger was killed.
It's too late to throw the worthless little shits in with the tiger, she having died for their fun, but they should be prosecuted for manslaughter, for having recklessly endangered their friend and caused his death.
And throw them in with the beasts serving time at the Gladiator School in Chino, let them see and feel what the law of jungle they find so amusing is really like.
************************************
There are more people concerned with Animal Rights than most people think.
And concern for the rights of animals is not just the joke so many self-absorbed assholes try to make of it.
And let us not forget the danger sign of a budding sociopath is his or her willingness and enjoyment of inflicting pain on animals.
*********************************
The San Francisco Zoo has long regarded itself as an Ark -- a DNA repository to keep animals from becoming extinct, even if they're wiped out in the wild. It's a noble goal. But letting assholes come in for their amusement isn't.
A baby Harp seal waddles into a bar, and the bartender says,
"What'll ya have?"
And the seal says,
"Anything but a Canadian Club."
***************************************
posted by Saintperle at
9:17 AM
