Animal rights people…are you against zoos in all cases?!
Answers: So im in the process of becoming vegetarian right now. im exploring vegetarian foods right now, and I wont give myself the title of “vegetarian” until I have found lots of vegetarian foods that I like and I know I can survive w/o meat. I think its cruel the way animals like cows and chickens are treated, and I don’t want to eat them or support this. I know animal rights people like vegans and vegetarians are against zoos, and I am mostly against zoos too (let me explain this part later). I mean I think its cruel to see animals in small cages, and they should be in their natural habitat. I mean I wouldn’t want my family and I taken from our place and placed on display in a zoo for everyone to see. Im also against circuses, who usually mistreat their elephants and stuff. I am fine w/ those documentaries that show animals in their natural habitats though, because theyre in their natural habitats at least and I don’t see whats wrong with learning about them. (continued below)
I know I'm definitely against circuses.
But, I'm not so sure about the zoo thing.
In a way, yes, and in a way, no.
In zoo's, it's not like the animals aren't cared for, also, it's a great learning experience for kids or even anyone it sometimes makes people respect animals more.
In some ways they are better off in a zoo, food everyday is guaranteed to them and there is no way the could be killed by hunters, poachers, other animals.
I know, it's not the same as being in the wild, but recently zoo's are changing to become a lot more like the animals real habitat.
(:
good point... im agaisnt the zoo and circus, but I guess in that case it makes senses, though im pretty sure your talking about an animal sanctuary...
Well that sounds more like an animal rescue shelter, not really a zoo. Are you describing those places that care for natural wildlife / or exotics that have been injured in the wild and are there for rehabilitation?
Pet stores support puppy mills and irresponsible pet owners and impulsive buying. I suggest if anyone wants a companion animal its best to look at shelters after having a serious think about whether you can handle the responsibilities of an animal.
i have have five pets, three dogs and two cats. all are from the shelter. I have been a veggie all my life, and I do it for ethical reasons.
I think that people should not breed dogs, because there are so many in the pound!
Plus having my dogs and cats, makes me feel good, because they were all abused before and i gave them love and care and kisses and trust!
zoos - i am not sure, some are good and help animals breed and take care of them. but some are bad! not good!
as for circus, no way! even when i was little i would not go to one! thats just wrong!
I am very much against circuses, for the obvious reasons. And I consider zoos animal prisons. There are wildlife preserves where people don't traipse around gawking at the imprisoned animals, and the animals get a slightly more natural habitat.
The best thing to do if you want to see animals in their natural habitats is rent a nature documentary. Someone on a local vegetarian listserv asked about a place to see penguins humanely (not far from here). I told her to rent or buy "March of the Penguins." It's the only humane way to see them, short of traveling to Antarctica.
If you are considering adopting a pet, go to a shelter or contact a rescue organization. Never, ever buy from a pet store (the Humane Society has a webpage against puppy mills). And avoid breeders as well. Even before I was veg, I adopted a cat from a Humane Society shelter. She's been a wonderful companion for over 13 years now (she's 16), and if I decide I want another furbaby after she passes, I will go to my local shelter and find another cat eager for a good home.
In an answer to your question, certain people are against zoo's regardless. Saving an injured animal is basically just prolonging the inevitable, or basically not "letting nature take its course." Now the catch 22 on that opinion, we prolong the inevitable in injured humans as oppose to "letting nature take its course," and perhaps that is why human beings are the most overpopulated animals on earth.
Also some people feel that keeping animals in capture, regardless of injured or not, is merely excersizing human domination over the animal kingdom. And perhaps that best way to show our love for the animal kingdom is to basically "Leave them alone." Just because someone loves their girlfriend, they wouldn't want to keep her captured in the basement, or walk her on a leash. certain people also wouldn't want to keep their grandmother on a breathing machine without the hopes of recovery. In that regard non-human involvement in animal affairs, keeps their hands clean from any problems caused by the humans to animals. The only problem is many problems of the animals (pollution, destruction of habitats) are caused indirectly by humans. That is perhaps why the human population feels like its their duty to lookout for animals.
I am pretty much against all zoos as a whole. I am against them for all the usuall reasons which it sounds like you already know so I won't go on about that.
This may sound mean to some but this is my opinion remember that...........I don't care that they do take in wild animals that may not survive had they not taken them in. WHY? It's the fact that on this contintinent you won't even find half of those animals here. Many of those animals aren't meant to survive with the climate we have here. Yes..the zoos try thier best to simulate the animals natural habitat....but a cold shallow pool of water and a few rocks and a block of ice or two doesn't really simulate Antartica very well. Sorry. I know they have the best intentions when it comes to the animals welfare (well most zoos) but..........those animals are supposed to be on that continent for a reason. AND animals are supposed to die. That's just how it goes. The weak,hurt, and misfortunant animals die to become dinner for other animals. Many other animals depend on those weak animals to live. Yes we have the best intentions when we take those animals that are abandoned,sick, and so on away to care for them but.....we really aren't doing any favours for nature as a whole by doing that. See what I'm saying.
And compasionate..informed (some don't know the horrors of todays pet shops and such) people get their pets from shelters.
I am against zoos, yes.
We get animals from rescues& shelters who keep their animal populations up courtesy of morons who breed and let their pets breed without thinking of the millions that are out there and are already homeless. If there weren't homeless animals, I wouldn't have pets.
Sometimes zoos can be good for the animals that they are well taken care of. Sometimes animals in the wild doesn't survive because of hunters or lack of food & medicine in case that they are sick.
Natural habitats are great. And there are lots of rescued animals living there, too. For example, "Big Cats Rescue".
Zoo's are definitely a grey area. Some zoo's have successful breeding programs which help endangered animal populations. Many zoo's seem to be improving their enclosers and habitats and educating the public. Leaving animals in the wild does not neccassarily mean they are free from human interference. There are still pochers, deforestation, habitat destruction, etc etc. I'm not saying zoo's are good, there are surely ones which are'nt. Perhaps we should have some sort of monitoring system to make sure they are treating the animals well.
Circus on the other hand are evil. Making animals do tricks for human entertainment is evil and stupid. If u want to see a circus go watch some clowns or an acrobat.
In all cases; no. For somewhat intelligent animals; yes. It's hard to say though. Confinement is akin to imprisonment. But for animals, I think it comes down to square footage. An animal, intelligent or not, deserves its space. Otherwise it's in a jail. That's just wrong.
I'm with you..I am a proud vegetarian for 1 and a half months now =D im really proud of myself. And its not that hard, you get really used to not eating meat. Its healthy too. But as for zoo's and circuses, they should be banned. No animal deserves to be locked up in a cage for their whole life..
last year a large range of goods were siezed from customs including tablets made with bear bile, crocodile coats, shoes and belts, gorilla hand ashtrays, tiger balm made with tiger oil, snake wine made with endangered snakes etc. Where there are people animals are endangered. So zoos are more than places where people can view animals they provide breeding programs for endangered animals, protected habitats for endangered animals which would otherwise die in the wild. If my family was endangered I would want someone to take responsibility and help my family stay alive and protect us. Zoos highlight the facts about endangered animals.
The only animals that should be in zoos are animals that have no chance of surviving in the wild or on a wildlife reserve.
Elephants should NEVER be kept in a zoo. The ground that they are forced to walk on is rarely suitable for creatures of their size and almost always leads to severe arthritis and debilitating pain. Their lifespans are but a fraction of what they should be.
No animal should ever have spend the rest of its life in habitat that isn't suitable or sizable for their species and numbers.
i never thought of that before.. good point, and now that you've made me think about it yes, i am against zoos, but not wild animal parks.. they are different, much. *contimplating circus idea*...yep against those too
that sucks, bacon and pepperoni are like my favourite foods. And people against pet stores get animals from breeders.