Polar Bear Cub. "Better off dead"?

geerarffe · 20-03-2007, 18:14

Hey guys. I know this is the pet section but I thought the animal welfare people on here would have an oppinion. Follow this link for the artical.

http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/sear...e=all&edition=

I think it's absolutely disgusting!

How can these so called animal rights activists claim they love animals and want what's best for them when they come up with stupid, idiotic and down right moronic ideas like this!

EdnaKrabappe · 20-03-2007, 18:20

I've just been to the shop and seen this on the front of the mail. Whilst I'd much rather see animals in the wild, the fact remains that zoos are now our best hope for conservation. In this case, the animal was failing to thrive, you wouldn't leave a kitten so why leave this animal? Yes he's wild but only because we say so. So what if this one grows up a little domesticated?
He's sooo cute as well! Has made me sob my little heart out!

They won't kill him now!

Jabberwocky · 20-03-2007, 18:28

Thats just typical of these hypocrites. Frankly I dont think they give a fig for any animal, as long as they make a few waves theyre happy enough.

KJ_VENOM · 20-03-2007, 18:34

is it only me that thinks these animal activists are extremely pompous to decide whats best for this bear cub? As far as putting it down i dont think Berlin zoo had any notion of doing what these A**eholes called for.

geerarffe · 20-03-2007, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJ_VENOM

is it only me that thinks these animal activists are extremely pompous to decide whats best for this bear cub?

I totally agree with you on this! There is no way being dead is better for this poor cub than being raised by humans in a zoo!

The little guy is definitely better off than if they'de left it to fend for it's self!

katkin · 20-03-2007, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJ_VENOM

is it only me that thinks these animal activists are extremely pompous to decide whats best for this bear cub? As far as putting it down i dont think Berlin zoo had any notion of doing what these A**eholes called for.

definitely better off where he is.

geerarffe · 21-03-2007, 17:16

Follow this link for the artical about the polar bear cub that animal rights activists would rather have put to sleep than have raised by humans!

http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/sear...e=all&edition=

I think it's absolutely disgusting!

How can these so called animal rights activists claim they love animals and want what's best for them when they come up with stupid, idiotic and down right moronic ideas like this!

Bonny · 21-03-2007, 17:22

The activists argument was 'the polar bear is a wild animal, as this cub cannot be returned to the wild it would be kinder to put it to sleep' - that's my interpretation from what i've seen.

If that were the case, what about all the other wild animals in captivity? Of course the ideal would be for all such wild animals to be able to roam freely in their natural environment without being hunted to near extinction but we live in a far from ideal world. As long as the cub is well cared for and not put in an environment where it would be stressed and ill treated, I don't really see what's so bad.

Brunette · 21-03-2007, 17:32

Okay, so as I read the story it seems that this cub has been shunned by its mother and is now being hand reared by humans and is likely to continue that way? I can see their point - a wild creature is not designed to be kept like a "pet". Unless they can guarantee that it is not going to have a very long life of misery and loneliness, then I agree, it would be kinder to end its life now. But hey - it is cute and cuddly now and not a ferocious and dangerous frustrated adult. Makes great headlines for the Daily Mail

Tintsexpert · 21-03-2007, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brunette

Okay, so as I read the story it seems that this cub has been shunned by its mother and is now being hand reared by humans and is likely to continue that way? I can see their point - a wild creature is not designed to be kept like a "pet". Unless they can guarantee that it is not going to have a very long life of misery and loneliness, then I agree, it would be kinder to end its life now. But hey - it is cute and cuddly now and not a ferocious and dangerous frustrated adult. Makes great headlines for the Daily Mail

Well said

Phanerothyme · 21-03-2007, 17:53

Wolfram Graf-Rudolf has a point. They should have had the courage to let him die.

What are polar bears doing in captivity anyway?

When the cub grows up and can no longer be with his parent (the keeper) because of safety considerations, he will be ensconced in a zoo. That is the height of cruelty for a polar bear. As it is the cub is already a 'celebrity', so it's dignity has already been stripped. Turning it into a poster boy for the zoo, and laughably enough, an environmental campaign image, is just further insult to injury.

Poor Bear, now condemned to a life of incarceration.

jen13kd · 21-03-2007, 17:55

nature can be tough, we should never intervene with what nature intended.

Birty · 21-03-2007, 17:55

No way should it be killed!

If it was a case of being born in the wild and some idiot shooting it for its fur there would be uproar. If every animal was killed because it was shunned by its mother then there would be alot of extinct animals in this world! Put it this way - a child is born unwanted by its mother and put up for adoption - should we kill it instead?

Phanerothyme · 21-03-2007, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birty

Put it this way - a child is born unwanted by its mother and put up for adoption - should we kill it instead?

If you are going to then keep that child, alone in a cell for the rest of its life, like the fate that faces this bear, don't you think it would be a merciful thing to do?

Jabberwocky · 21-03-2007, 18:03

Am I going nuts or what?

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=198087

geerarffe · 21-03-2007, 18:08

You're not goin nuts. I posted in 2 places.

melthebell · 21-03-2007, 18:36

right ive been reading this story and.....................
being an animal rights activist since the mid 80s (petitioning / demos etc outside boots on fargate etc) hanging around with hunt sabs, and being veggie for almost 20 years, this story baffles me. a polar bear loses its mum, we do the best of a crap deal for it, it shouldnt die, its not a perfect scenario but its still alive, its not dying or injured or in pain or distress. its a happy bearcub that sadly prolly wont be wild anymore, **** happens occasionly, we do the best for it, not kill it.

one of the most stupid things ive ever heard.

EdnaKrabappe · 21-03-2007, 18:58

I've posted on the other thread as well. Basically I agree with what Mel's said.(Bet you are someone I met every week as a teen and pestered!)

I'm an animal lover, have marched and lobbied Whitehall and Downing Street to change the law against animal testing and you should have read the stuff i handed in for my English Language o level. (The pros and cons of vivisection, How can animal testing prove anything? Factory farming) I refused to go to zoos with school when I got to secondary school and have only just started to relent on this one over the last few years having seen that for some species, it's going to be the only chance of survival.

In this case the fact is the cub was failing to thrive, therefore the keepers did the best they can is far from ideal but was better than letting him die.

He's sooooooooo cute!!!

(THE POLAR BEAR WAS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT MEL

)

melthebell · 21-03-2007, 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdnaKrabappe

He's sooooooooo cute!!!

(THE POLAR BEAR WAS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT MEL

)

damn, im wounded

*gets coat*

geerarffe · 21-03-2007, 19:56

one of the most stupid things ive ever heard.[/QUOTE]

Glad it's not just me who thinks so!