I think we should all look at this picture, even though it’s painful. This is the giraffe which may, by its sad ultimate sacrifice, bring the Human world a little closer to becoming worthy of calling itself humane.
An appalling, senseless act of cruelty. Along with most of the rest of the world, we’re disgusted to see that this zoo ignored the many offers to rehome this poor animal, and mercilessly, as if they were proud of it, for all to see, ended its life.
The outcry that has ensued – quite rightly – must bring into focus what Virginia McKenna and Born Free have been saying for years. There is no longer any justification for keeping animals in prisons to be gawped at by humans at their leisure. It’s massively cruel, and massively inefficient on our resources. If the same amount of money which is spent on keeping animals alive in these awful unnatural situations were spent on looking after their needs in the wild, we’d all be much better off.
My personal feeling is that, despite the ‘conservation’ arguments for zoos, they are an anachronism and should now be systematically closed down. It is not just species which matter – it’s the quality of life of an individual creature.
I’m not a great one for boycotts … I have never believed, for instance, that cultural boycotts are either advisable or effective.
But this is something different. I believe the only way decent people can make their feelings known on this is to absolutely boycott the Copenhagen Zoo. I believe that by this stupid act, the guardians of this zoo have hastened its demise as an institution. For me, it would be a worthy and just outcome of this tragedy.
It’s time.
Just as slavery was eventually recognised as an aberration – an outrage, and unsupportable in a decent society – so it will be, in the near future, that the rights of all creatures to a life worth living will be recognised, and behaviour like this will be deemed criminal.
It’s all part of the same picture … a picture which MUST change, and soon. The Badgers, the Foxes, the Elephants, the Rhinoceros, the Tiger, animals used in ‘sport’, animals being tortured in the name of research, animals bred solely for human food and money-making … ALL animals have a right which IT IS TIME to recognise.
So … my advice to all you folks in Denmark, who are able to make your voices heard ? Campaign for the end of this awful place, which evidently has no sense of pity, and, I see, has now been accused of euthanising chimps too. I think they have lost the plot. I will not be sorry to see these people looking for another job.
Bri
PLEASE OBSERVE COPYRIGHT
© brianmay.com