((( this blog is not about this, this normall get's only posted on my other blog, but this time i felt the need to post this here too .. so it's not cookie-cutter one bit, but i think the message needs to be heard over and over again! )))
So after watching The Cove, a documentary about the killings of thousands upon thousands of dolphins a 'season' in Japan, i committed myself to never participate in any of the "swimming with the dolphins" at the resorts or going to Sea World and things like that! .. The documentary, that i urge EVERYONE to see, made me sick to my stomach and angry, what these 'people' are doing (and i use the word people VERY loosely!)!! .. Wild animals should be wild and free! - Nature should be Nature not tourture!
I also committed myself to NOT attend any circuses .. once again watching a documentary about that, especially the Ringling Bro's, made me sick! .. how "they" could treat these animals the way they do, expect them to perform 'tricks', barley feed them, and just brutalize them seems so unjust and we need to put a stop to it all! .. this whole things of taking creatures from their natural environments and caging them and forcing them to perform 'tricks' is disgusting! .. Ringling Bro's is WELL documented with seceret tapes how they BEAT, CHAIN, STICK, WHIP, STARVE, CONFINE, and MAKE THEM SCREAM!!!! - STOP GOING TO THESE CIRCUSES!!! .. if you go, it means you are OK with the cruelety of animals! - DISGUSTING! .. if your OK with what happenes then can those who feel it's not do what these circus trainers do TO YOU?! .. i'll get my whip and probe ready . . .
Now onto zoo's - i made the utterly wrong and distasteful decision this weekend to go to the Staten Island Zoo .. and well i'm completely mad at myself and just angry and hurt! - each animal looked so sad and miserable! - the indoor animals were living with fake trees, fake leaves, and confined to the smallest areas imaginable! .. and not only were these indoors small and filled with all unnatural environments, but it was LOUD, from all the kids screaming with 'excitement' these poor animals had to hear the screams and yells of children and parents all day long = the poor animals had nowhere to go to escape the noise and harassment of people! .. they were living in modern day dungeons! .. my heart is beyond aching right now!!!!
Here i am above at The Popcorn Zoo Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, in Forked River NJ .. i sound like a TOTAL hypocrite here .. but i actually like this one - it's an entire zoo of injured or animals that would of been put down b/c either another zoo, handler, or circus no longer wanted/needed them .. this zoo always touches my heart when i see them! .. the animals are super friendly, unlike other zoo's where the animals are scared to death of their surroundings .. the handlers here are ALL volunteer .. everything about this zoo is volunteer and love .. i know i'm sounding totally hypocritical here, and i hate hypocrites .. but i somehow see this as 'ok' ... unlike other zoo's you can actual see a love and a bright sparkle in these animals eye's!
While a circus is one thing, I think that there are benefits of zoos. They have captive breeding programs to help increase the population of threatened/endangered species. They also serve as to educate the public on conservation and environmental awareness.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the Staten Island Zoo is one of the better ones to go to- it's AZA certified. AZA zoos meet certain standards to ensure that the animals are being taken care of: http://www.aza.org/animal-care-and-management/
I was surprised not to see the PopCorn Park zoo on there. I love their mission too! I guess that being a volunteer organization they don't have the manpower to meet the criteria?
Just thought I'd add a little debate to your post :)
this was the 2nd time i went to the SI zoo - and i dunno - the animals looked SOOOOOO sad - all the "trees" and "leaves" in the cages were all plastic! .. and they were in the smallest 'cages' i've ever seen - the Popcorn Zoo which is all volenteer has bigger cages, ya know ..
ReplyDeletei TOTALLLLLY understand the aspect of having people be aware - and i know there always will be a zoo and the circus - it's just my heart hurts so bad for them - literally i walked around the zoo miserable and upset for the animals ..
i had to go to the park across the street and walk around and see all the squirrels and birds free to make myself feel better :o) ..
thanks baby-cakes for the post!!!!