Jump to content

Animals in captivity?


SoulMonster

Recommended Posts

I have to admit that this all crossed my mind when I saw the picture of you wth the dolphin :lol:

Wild animals held captive purely for amusement is imo really unfortunate.  We might be looking at them, but its really exposing more about the human condition.  As far as I understand some animals arent successful when being reintegrated into the wild, and if thats true I would still love to go see them.  And honestly Id really like to go to one of those aquariums where theres a restaurant or gallery 'within' the aquarium.  So I guess Im a hypocrite who practices some mild restraint.

Theres equestrian therapy which seems valuable to me.  Or people with sensory disabilities benefit from petting zoos.  Foster care kids, state wards and abused kids highlight of the year is often the charity trip to a zoo or aquarium.  I wish it wasnt already set in motion, but I have no answers to the complexities.

Even something like medical testing... if its one of our own loved ones facing a potential terminal condition, would we not accept the possibility that an animal died to develop treatments?  Ive never had to face that but listen to a stirring radio program once.

I am interested and engaged with issues around food production and I think we can do a lot better by the animals.  Which in turn makes healthier products for us to consume anyways.  And less negative environmental impacts.  We can actually heal lands by utilizing biodiversity and even biodynamic practices.

Somehow, despite my casual attitude, I tend to be the token omnivore in animal liberation social circles.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I heard somewhere that there are MORE lions and tigers in zoos than in the wild. The people of the areas those animals are from don't seem to care about their preservation. So if the choice is extinction or zoos, I choose zoos. Besides I really like the Detroit Zoo. 

We captured cats and dogs for thousands of years, nobody seems to care about those... unless they are being treated poorly that is. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Forgot about this thread.

I think humans are in a special position simply because that we have ended up with an amazing brain. It gives us responsibility. Not because anyone has handed us that responsibility, its pure coincidence that we ended up with these megabrains, but because sometimes responsibility is something we take upon ourselves - and this is one of those cases. We are the only organism on this planet with the intellect to both predict what the future will hold, and to try to prevent that from happening. I consider us shepherds of earth. Or rather the biosphere. Or Creation if you are religiously inclined. 

You can look at this entirely selfishly in the sense that for our self-preservation we need to do what we can to ensure that our ecosystems are stable and balanced, that we don't make climate out of whack, that we stop mass-extinction, that we prevent complete deforestation, that we stop the increasing pollution of the waters and seas. But you can also look at it as us taking responsibility for our fellow animals, for all the living creatures that in an evolutionary sense are our brothers and sisters and without whom we would all be doomed.

So that's my philosophical view on our relationship with not only other animals but also on mankind's role here on earth. Sure, most people don't agree with me here, but I fear as we continue to fuck up earth people will be forced to at least pragmatically agree with me.

What does this realization mean? Well, I am against animals in captivity, including zoos and circuses and used for entertainment like adverts and movies. Exceptions would be for breeding program of critically endangered species and when the animals' needs and instincts can be sufficiently recreated/satisfied and when the focus is on education. Another exception would be for animal testing in drug development. And a final exception would be for food (but the rules regarding livestock should be stricter to ensure better quality of life) and as pets (again, some pet breeds should be terminated (many dog breeds) and some should never be kept in captivity unless their instinct and normal behaviour is not limited). I am also positive to the efforts to award human rights to primates.

 

Edited by SoulMonster
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...