To read an article entitled, "Sharks, polar bears and otters are not simpler versions of ourselves " which was written by Libby Brooks of the Guardian.uk.com website please click on the following link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/19/sharks-polar-bears-otters-animal-behaviour Libby Brooks makes a very important statement in her article, that being:
"When animals accidentally act like humans they are redefined as cute, or sympathetic, or good learners. It is only when humans exhibit their basest nature that they are accused of acting like animals. It turns out that it is not animals themselves that are unsophisticated, but our own all-too human expectations of them.".
"And humans who complain about how animals act seem to forget how some humans act towards other life on this planet, for instance in Ohio County, Indiana, "a cruel event is scheduled where snapping turtles will be SLAMMED TO THE GROUND, swung around repeatedly, and have their heads yanked from their shells."
"Ohio County, Indiana, is home to an extraordinarily cruel event called "Snapperfest"—next scheduled for this Saturday, August 20! Every year at the Campshore Campground, wild-caught snapping turtles endure terrible violence at the hands of participants. The frightened animals are grabbed by their tails and repeatedly slammed to the ground. Their heads are yanked from their shells, and they are then swung around until "contestants" are able to wrap their fists around the animals' necks."
There can be no justification which can allow such an event to happen in this World! Not only is this "event" causing an innocent form of life, these turtles to be maimed and killed but it is also against local laws relating to animal cruelty (I checked this online!). Please send the people of this County a message by signing the petition at the following link:
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-snapperfest?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=autopublish
The fact that children in this area of Indiana may watch such brutality because they are brought to the area where the brutality is taking place by their parents is extremely troubling to me!. As stated in the petition:
"A history of animal cruelty during childhood was significantly associated with APD, antisocial personality traits, and polysubstance abuse. Mental handicap, psychotic disorders, and alcohol abuse showed no such association.," J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 30:257–65, 2002"
Would you want your children or your friend's children exposed to such a disturbing circumstance?
Source of images:Sharks:http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/ARTPUB/CRB002620_36_24.jpg
Polar bears: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Cub_polar_bear_is_nursing_2.OGG/mid-Cub_polar_bear_is_nursing_2.OGG.jpg
Otter:http://www.sudburyaviation.on.ca/mushroom-picking-forest.php
