Zoos

[Guest guest]

" The zoo is a prison for animals who have been sentenced without

trial and I

feel guilty because I do nothing about it. I wanted to see an

oyster-catcher,

so I was no better than the people who caged the oyster-catcher for

me to

see. "

-Russell Hoban, author (1925- )

 

I love this quote by Hoban, and I share his guilt. Torn between my

desire to

learn, see, experience and the guilt of the wrongful captivity and

god-play

that I call zoo. I hope for the best and pray the animals are treated

well behind

those closed doors, but in truth, unless I work there daily, or do

great

investigations, I cannot know. Certainly there are signs we can look

for to

find some comfort, like: Do the animals look healthy? Are they

playful or

lethargic? etc... But I often wonder at the unseen.

 

On a lighter note, I do prefer animal sanctuaries to zoos any day,

and

thankfully live nearby one. They harbor, rehabilitate and care for

wounded

wildlife and a few mistreated exotic pets. While most of the victims

of man

do not get released back into the wild, they are kept kindly (again

this is an

assumption and hope) and used to share knowledge and animal awareness

with children and adults. A tour of this facility is free, run by

volunteers, and

charitable contributions are accepted. Here is their site:

 

http://www.wildlifeimages.org/

 

~ P_T ~

[Guest guest]

There is good and bad in both zoos and in rescue sanctuaries. Some

of the sanctuaries stockpile and hoard domestic pets that

could/should be rehabilitated and placed in loving homes. We see

this often with exotic bird rescue facilities, but it's also been

seen with dog and cat rescues. The sancturary owner often lacks the

desire/skills/knowledge/time/foresight to rehab the animals, but the

animals in need just keep coming and the sanctuary owner doesn't

have the heart to say no. As the numbers pile up, sometimes

eventually the animals need to be rescued from the rescuer.

 

Interesting world we live in, with much room for improvement. If we

are to make a difference, every one of us needs to roll up our

sleeves and make sure that we are giving whatever we can to help

make it a better place. There is no shortage of good causes, but if

everyone that could help would do so, there might eventually be.

 

Melinda