bad husbandry at a reptile and tarantula dealer

[The Snark]

You're right, my head was in city living, there are certainly places where its not criminal, I was much too broad in my statement....also I was focusing more on the maiming, which I would generally consider as a "deliberate intentional act, not that the op would fall into this, it would not.

Much of my state is woods and lakes, and those people popping animals illegally don't have the luxury of our law enforcement looking the other way in normal cases, but there definitely are such areas, my bad.

Shooting something would often be the humane way to end a life. Varmint control is a far cry from maiming or neglecting an animal kept as a "pet" or even livestock IMO.

Let's just give this sidetrack of the OP a bottom line. In my perfect world every person who purchases a gun for sporting purposes must attend 2 graphics intensive hour or two long courses.

The first, from incident to final recovery, trauma, first and secondary aid, intervention, surgery, restructuring, physical and mental therapy and rehabilitation of a gunshot wound, taking the gun owner to be on a grand tour of the effect of a bullet on a living body.

The second, a similar course showing the effects of lead on a living animal either through traumatic infliction or ingestion. Diagnosis, debilitating effects and what is required in order to recover to 90% of health level. The course would center on the introduction of lead into the environment through hunting.

No, I'm not a fluffy bunny loving PETA supporter. I've killed far more animals with firearms than the average person in the US does in their lifetime. I'm advocating common sense and awareness of the consequences of actions. From improper treatment due to lack of knowledge, apathy or just plain laziness in a pet shop to the 20,000+ elephants killed every year. If you are going to pull a trigger, you should be aware of what that bullet is going to do. Be fully responsible for your actions.

 

[Najakeeper]

You're right, my head was in city living, there are certainly places where its not criminal, I was much too broad in my statement....also I was focusing more on the maiming, which I would generally consider as a "deliberate intentional act, not that the op would fall into this, it would not.

Much of my state is woods and lakes, and those people popping animals illegally don't have the luxury of our law enforcement looking the other way in normal cases, but there definitely are such areas, my bad.

Shooting something would often be the humane way to end a life. Varmint control is a far cry from maiming or neglecting an animal kept as a "pet" or even livestock IMO.

Let's also not forget the rattlesnake roundups, which are still legal in many places and there is nothing humane about them.

 

[The Snark]

While I'm on my fanatic binge, with apologies to the OP, an afterhtought. Right there on the major networks at prime time, the surgeons instructional video of an endarterectomy. Up close and personal high res of how to open up the artery and incise the atheromatous plaque material laid down by those hamburgers.

 

[Python]

In the county I live in, chicken fighting and dog fighting are big business. So big in fact, there has only ever been one raid and the only outcome was they seized the money and fined the guy that owned the place. They didn't seize the animals, they didn't close the arena and the participants just went home. One of our sheriff candidates fought chickens until he started running for office and in fact bought his feed from the store I work at. I chatted with some animal rights groups to try and get something done but they didn't want to do anything. They wanted me to do everything for them! I have no background in that sort of thing and besides, I know a lot of these people personally and I would get run out of town if I got caught doing something like that, literally!

So while animal cruelty is certainly not legal, not only is it condoned, it is also promoted. It is here anyway.

 

[The Snark]

In the county I live in, chicken fighting and dog fighting are big business. So big in fact, there has only ever been one raid and the only outcome was they seized the money and fined the guy that owned the place. They didn't seize the animals, they didn't close the arena and the participants just went home. One of our sheriff candidates fought chickens until he started running for office and in fact bought his feed from the store I work at. I chatted with some animal rights groups to try and get something done but they didn't want to do anything. They wanted me to do everything for them! I have no background in that sort of thing and besides, I know a lot of these people personally and I would get run out of town if I got caught doing something like that, literally!

So while animal cruelty is certainly not legal, not only is it condoned, it is also promoted. It is here anyway.

That is really the whole point. In the modern world, especially America, reality has been sterilized. False ethics that exclude responsibility, twisted and skewed morals that are adhered to only when convenient. But the bottom line is the onus falls upon people like the members of AB, down at the grass roots. Disseminating accurate information, setting examples of proper ethical conduct in how we care for our animals and quietly taking the moral high ground. People will not accept being coerced into acting responsibly as the motivation to do so comes from within. All the laws in the world have never and will never replace finding and operating from our better, higher natures.

 

[Python]

That is so true. Sadly we are taught from an early age that we are meant to subdue nature, that all living things are property to be owned. We do have the power to rule over the earth but I think we would be a lot better off if we were to realize that we have a responsibility not to. I don't think harmony can exist in a relationship where a ruling class dominates everything else. Humans are a part of nature, we are not above it. There is no reason for us to have the capacity for intelligence that we have and still be as arrogant as we are