Something to think about.. . .

Disturbing, to say the least. Thank you, Lola, for providing the link to the article. Ironic that one of the photos featured a woman whose T-shirt reads, ”Totally Lost.”

No animal in captivity is really wild. Exotic, probably. Dangerous, maybe. Well-treated? Good question.

I’ve seen bored-looking horses and donkeys on Hydra Island, Greece and in Firenze, Italy, some harnessed to wagons or carts. Presumably, they’re cared for; their health and ability to carry or pull loads is essential to their owners’ livelihoods.

We rode camels in the desert in Morocco this January, certainly easier than walking in loose sand in the dunes. They seemed to be a continuation of a long-standing means of transportation, but now I have to wonder just how well they’re treated. They didn’t have spiked shackles on their legs, at any rate, and I seriously doubt they were fed flavored yogurt, like the anteater mentioned in the article.

At Closing Day at the Mary Jane ski area last Sunday, a fellow skier said he and his wife, parents of a US Olympic skier, had gone to South Africa and Zimbabwe last fall, partly to see Victoria Falls, but to also see wild animals. He said they saw an incredible variety of birds and a cheetah calmly walked by their safari Jeep. They also visited an animal rescue/rehab facility. Didn’t ask if he’d posted any photos but contrived photo ops don’t seem to be his style. I mentioned I’d heard a report on NPR in the past couple of weeks about South African lion killing operations, where only male lions are kept, so that would-be Big Game Hunters can show up, pay a hefty fee, and pick exactly which big-maned lion they want to shoot. The lion is then released, to be shot and then used for a souvenir photo with the “hunter.” Pay the money and you, too, can be Teddy Roosevelt. The phrase “shooting fish in a barrel” comes to mind. Pressure is on South Africa to halt allowing these businesses that arrange the of killing of enclosed lions for amusement and photos of the killer’s dubious achievement.

I’ll say that a painting by an elephant actually sounds interesting, but certainly not if it was coerced by a nail pressed into its face.

We avoid anything to do with animals in captivity or anything where animals are made to perform for our entertainmanet. Whether that's Seaworld, Zoo's, riding camels in Morocco, elephants in Thailand or Donkeys in Greece.

This has really only something that's evolved over the last few years, I think it started with a dolphin show at Parc Asterix in Paris when our youngest was a toddler, I suddenly realised how sad it was that these poor creatures were being kept it captivity, out of their natural environment and whose only purpose was to provide entertainment to hordes of people every day, I walked out half way through and from that point on my mindset had changed.

Even with pets when the kids badger me with requests for a hamster, a gerbil, a tortoise etc my reply is always the same, if given the opportunity to escape and never return then such an animal is not suitable for a pet. Hence they can only have a cat or a dog, two of us are allergic to cats but we're in the process of considering a dog.

Sadly one doesn't need to go "beyond Europe" to see animal cruelty used for entertainment. I've seen questions on this forum from people who want to go to a Spanish bull-fight, or to watch the Pamplona or Palio horrors. This seems to be often excused on the bizarre basis it's the "culture". And, of course, you don't even need to get to Europe to see animals mistreated for our "pleasure" - the barbaric rodeos in the USA and Canada for example.

Our own modern industrial food production system causes immense animal suffering (to a lot more animals). This is not meant to be a controversial statement, or to start any arguments - it's just a fact.

Lola,

Thanks for posting that. I was appalled and disgusted at the way these animals are being treated. Anything for the almighty dollar (or baht) I suppose. That sort of thing was somewhat "off the radar" for me as I never encounter it here and have never visited Thailand or the other countries that were mentioned. After reading that article, it's not likely I will ever visit those countries.

Our own modern industrial food production system causes immense animal suffering (to a lot more animals). This is not meant to be a controversial statement, or to start any arguments - it's just a fact.

Absolutely Agnes, which is why I do all I can to consume meat that has led as natural a life as is possible when bred for consumption but also killed as quickly and humanely as possible.

The poor, intelligent pig often suffers the most, I've seen footage of some enclosed in what can only be described as a modern day equivalent of an Iron Maiden. Fortunately the UK doesn't have the space for the huge cattle feedlots frequently seen in the US, cows knee deep in e-coli infected faeces hence the requirement to treat the meat with chlorine. Sheep cannot be raised indoors so their meat can always be considered free range and as close as nature intended.

Danish pork has gained a reputation (mainly from the 70's) as being amongst the best in Europe but one look at most Danish porrk farms would likely turn you vegetarian. Compare a barbecued rack of Danish pork ribs with a rack of barbecued free range Iberico pork ribs and the difference in taste is startling.

Free range/organic meat may be more expensive but the taste and animal welfare factor more than makes up for the increase in price.