Exposing Animal Cruelty...Maybe for the Last time
2007-02-09 16:46:40
By Karen Johns of www.soonews.ca

This will be my last column on animal cruelty for a while. Not only because it may becoming tiring to my readers, but because I have to take a break. In the last few week I have seen so many films and videos of the horrific way some humans treat animals that it is making me ill.

I knew there was a lot of cruelty toward animals in this world, I just didn't realize how much there was, nor did I know how widespread animal abuse is.

Today I will touch on a few ways in which man tortures and abuses our animals. You can act on the information or not. There are many agencies and organizations that speak up for animals and you can find them on Google.com.

China's Moon Bears
Many Chinese traditional medicines use the ingredient bear bile. Although it can be reproduced synthetically and there are over 70 natural herbs that do the same thing, China extracts the bile from bears in awful ways.

The bears live their entire lives in cages no bigger than a large dog crate.We're talking YEARS here. They have tubes inserted into their bodes which drain the bile into collection containers. The bears can't walk around or hardly move, yet this practice goes on all the time.

Dancing Bears
In many Asian countries bears are used to make money from tourists in this way.....A rope is inserted into the bear's nostril, then often down the back of the throat and out through the mouth. That rope is then attached to a stick which the handler holds in his hands . As the handler lifts and twists the stick, the bear rises and "dances" for the crowds. It's nothing but torture.

Bear Baiting
This is where a bear is secured with a chain and then two or more dogs are brought into the ring to attack the bear. The bear tries to fight back as the dogs attack. Often at the end both the dogs and the bears have serious injuries.

Circuses
Circuses are very inhumane. I understand that parents are only taking their children to se the animal acts, but those animals are treated cruelly. Watching videos of USA training grounds, elephants are hit, poked with electric prods and wounded with large metal hooks to make them 'obey'. On one of the videos you hear the "boss" telling one of the trainees, to "dig that hook in hard , make him pay attention". In some case they repeatedly gouge the elephants with the hooks then prod the open wound.To see such majestic, intelligent animals tortured and reduced to nothing except cheap entertainment is dispicable.

Tigers and lions don't fare any better. Confined to small cages for most of the time, the animals are hit and beaten to make them learn tricks. I watched one video where the lion is offered food, then when the lion tries to grab it , he is hit repeatedly in the face. Is this entertanment??? Please don't support circuses. It's the only way to stop the inhumane treatment of this wonderful animals.

If you want your children to see animals, it's better to watch nature shows on TV or rent Nature videos from your library. Supporting circuses even if you are asked to "for a good cause" keeps this animal cruelty going.

The Vanishing Tiger
Currently there are less than 5,000 tigers worldwide. The demise of the tiger population is mostly due to the poaching of tigers for their body parts. Tiger bones sell for $75-$115 per pound and are used in the making of traditional Asian medicines. Tiger genatalia is considered to be an aphrodisiac.

In a few years, tigers in the wild could be extinct.

When I started researching animal abuse, I had no idea that Man could sink so low, using animals for their own gain, for profit.
Some may say "well they're only animals", or "Nature can be just as cruel".

I don't agree.

Yes nature can be cruel, but animals kill each other in order to survive. As humans we should have compassion and not allow the systematic abuse of animals for our thrills and entertainment.

Although I'm not a vegetarian , I am leaning that way. I always thought that slaughter houses were humane until I saw video about what really goes on in them, from cattle slaughter houses, to chicken farms, to the slaughter of wild horses to sell as food in Mexico.

Chicken in factories have their beaks sliced off to prevent them from hurting each other as they stand crowded into wire cages with no room to even spread their wings. Cattle are stunned, then hung up by their legs and their throats cut. The animals are not unconscious as their blood spews from their necks and they struggle and moan from the pain.

They often travel great distances to the slaughter house in overcrowded trucks with no water. In the summer they are hot, in the winter they suffer from the cold.If they stumble or fall they are trampled, and get no relief.

Bulls are castrated in horrible ways. They are tied in a pen then their scrotal sac is extended and split, then the testicles are sliced off. Anyone who says it doesn't hurt hasn't seen the agony in the bulls eyes or seen the way they react. Sometimes they are just crushed between two pieces of metal or wood.

I bet most men can "feel their pain".

I actually feel sorry for those who must make their living by slaughtering animals. I don't know how people stomach it, but I imagine eventually you get numb to it, much like the people in China who feel no qualms about skinning animals alive. When it comes right down to it our own country has some pretty cruel animal death practices.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion on these matters. I realise some may call me a bleeding-heart, some may say I sensationalize animal cruelty.

These are just my thoughts on the matter and I know not everyone agrees with me.

But for me, it feels right that I bring these acts to your attention. Maybe you don't want to read about it, but the fact is, it's out there, and it is happening.

I'm just trying in my own small way to make life kinder for our animal friends.

Here at home, you can report abuse and neglect or e-mail me and I'll try to help....karen@soonews.ca

Have a great week Everyone!