‘Best Friends’: The largest animal sanctuary operates under the mantra ‘Save Them All’; how could that be controversial?
‘Best Friends’: The largest animal sanctuary operates under the mantra ‘Save Them All’; how could that be controversial?
‘Best Friends’ runs the country’s largest sanctuary for neglected and abused pets, as well as a national network of like-minded shelters. Its property in Utah covers nearly 6,000 acres and houses around 1,600 animals, including dogs, cats, horses, pigs, bunnies and birds. The group was among the earlier animal welfare organizations to come out against the widespread shelter practice of killing animals to relieve chronic overcrowding, forcing the industry to think creatively about sterilizing pets, supporting pet owners and boosting adoptions. It argues that “euthanasia” is a weasel word. It prefers the frank and direct word “kill.” Its call to […]
HEADS IN THE SAND: What is not being said about the British Columbia ostrich case
HEADS IN THE SAND: What is not being said about the British Columbia ostrich case
Nearly a year ago the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered the “destruction” of nearly 400 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C. after being alerted to an avian flu outbreak that had killed dozens of ostriches. On November 6, the ostriches were corralled into a pen after which “professional marksmen” indiscriminately killed the flock over the course of several hours. Shots rang-out while supporters listened on, horrified and traumatized. It’s not surprising that this case has garnered international attention. Most people don’t want to see animals suffer. But most people are also selective in what animals they choose to […]
The Super Predator: How humans became the animal kingdom’s most feared hunters
The Super Predator: How humans became the animal kingdom’s most feared hunters
Human beings have been termed “super predators,” surpassing other famous predators in the number of prey they kill. This has led to animals fearing us. Consistent with humanity’s unique lethality, a growing number of experiments have demonstrated that fear of humans far exceeds that of the non-human apex predator in the system. In Africa, 95 percent of carnivore and ungulate species (e.g., giraffes, leopards, hyenas, zebras, rhinos, and elephants) in the Greater Kruger National Park ran more or faster on hearing humans compared with hearing lions. A primitive fear that afflicts all animals when they see a human. Humans might […]
