Hollywood Trainer :: Unmasked

On November 18th, in 2005, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), filed a complaint in U.S. District Court against Hollywood chimpanzee “trainer” Sid Yost for violating the Endangered Species Act and the California anti-cruelty statute by torturing the chimpanzees in his possession. One of the witnesses was Sarah Baeckler, who had worked with Yost for more than a year, and had witnessed him repeatedly abuse several chimpanzees by violently beating them with sticks, and punching them with his fists. Baeckler stated that he did this to force them to preform for movies and/or television shows. To rescue the chimpanzees Sable, Cody, Apollo, and Angel from their frequent abuse at the hands of Yost, ALDF claimed that by purposely injuring animals listed as “threatened” by the Endangered Species Act, Yost directly violating the Animal Welfare Act.

This really shocked me, because whenever I had seen chimpanzes in movies, I assumed that they were being treated right. But by going and paying for those movies, I was directly aiding Sid Yost in his torture schemes. This article should startle everyone who reads it, because it is an important thing to realize, that there will always be people who are bent on cruelty. But we need to really work hard on making sure we know how the animals we see on TV, in movies, and in circus shows are being treated well.

Evidence:

• “Eyewitness testimony will prove that Yost uses vicious beatings and intimidation to force terrified chimpanzees to perform in the spotlight,”

• “It is unconscionable—and illegal—for him to abuse our closest relatives for our viewing pleasure and his profit. ALDF will see to it that these animals will no longer suffer the pain and fear of being subjected to his cruel ‘training’ techniques.”

• Yost, who also goes by the stage name “Ranger Rick,” has been fined and placed on probation repeatedly in the past for animal-related offenses, including a $2,000 fine from the USDA in 2002 when one chimpanzee bit a boy attending his show in Ventura County and a $1,000 fine from the California Department of Fish and Game for illegal possession of a lion cub.

Questions:

• Why did Sid Yost think that this would be acceptable?
• Was his decision to commit these crimes influenced by his upbringing/parents?
  

Sources:

"ALDF Files Suit Against Hollywood Chimpanzee "Trainer" in Federal Court." ADLF. 18 November, 2005

Flames of Cruelty :: Mercy

Some things are painful to see, just because of how horrifying and repulsive they are. This story was about a young, 10-month old pitbull-mix puppy, who was stabbed and mutilated for no apparent reason, then doused in gasoline and set on fire by 21 year-old Deshawn Quatrail Brown. The result, burn scars covering 60% of her body, and a weakened heart. Fortunately, a passerby noticed her plight and immediately brought her to Operation Kindness, a veterinarian office for mistreated or abused animals. However, even with all the care given to her, Mercy's heart gave out on April 23, 2006, leaving this world forever, to be in a better, less hate-filled, place.

In my mind, the human behavior is now the #1 m. To even think that someone could be that cruel to an innocent animal just enrages me beyond thought. This is a real story, a real event, and Mercy the pitbull was a real person too. How can we stand aside and let these things happen? These are the injustices that we are required, as citizens of America to stop and remedy. Poor Mercy was just 1 story that got publicized, 1 out of the millions that are out there. Ask yourself, "Does this matter to me? Does this story make my heart ache? Does this story make me want to do something?", and if the answer to any of those questions is "No", then there is something wrong with your heart.

Evidence:

• Every year, 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter shelters, and 3 to 4 million shelter dogs and cats are killed.
• More than 25 million vertebrate animals are used in testing in the United States each year—this means monkeys, dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, birds, farm animals, and still other sentient beings. After the experiments conclude, 97% of the animals who have survived the research are killed.
• Close to 14,000 cases of animal cruelty were documented in 2009, this doesn't include the illegal tests, nor does it include the animals mass produced and slaughtered for food.
• Many abusers kill, harm, or threaten children’s pets to coerce them into sexual abuse or to force them to remain silent about abuse.
• Disturbed children kill or harm animals to emulate their parents’ conduct, to prevent the abuser from killing the pet, or to take out their aggressions on another victim.

Questions:

• Was Deshawn Quatrail Brown harboring hatred against animals?
• How many cases are there that weren't documented?
• To say nothing, to do nothing, stops nothing... So what will people do when they hear about these statistics?

Source:
Daines, Maria. "Mercy, the Innocent Victim." Operation Kindness. 12 December, 2006
"Facts About Animal Abuse & Domestic Violence." The Newsroom. 19 July, 2006

Groundhog Day's Injustice

While it isn't big news that Groundhog Day is approaching soon, it may be news to some, that PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have complained about the ethics of imprisoning an innocent groundhog for the entertainment of the public. PETA believes that it's unfair to keep the animal in captivity and show him off to the huge crowds and bright lights that accompany the February 2nd celebration in.

This article struck me because, at first I couldn't believe that people would be making such a big deal about a simple groundhog. Then I realized, "Why shouldn't they be making a big deal?", it's not fair to the groundhog to be confined and forced to face crowds for our personal holiday. He shouldn't have to endure those conditions just because it's a tradition to have a groundhog come out and either be scared by his shadow or not see it at all. I mean, if properly programmed, a robotic groundhog, just like the one described in the article, would do the exact same thing. And this is just a small-scale, a minor charge of animal cruelty. On a side note, the governor of Pennsylvania did mention in his defense that Phil the groundhog is being treated better than the average child in Pennsylvania.

Evidence:

• Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in both Canada and the US that is held on February 2nd every year.
• According to folklore, if a groundhog who is coming out of its burrow fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will end soon.
• If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.
• On February 2nd of 2002, as soon as the announcement was made that the groundhog had seen his shadow, the crowd changed its rabid chants of “Phil! Phil! Phil!” to a chorus of boos, terrifying Phil the groundhog even more.
• It really doesn’t matter to Phil whether people are screaming with cheers or jeers at sunrise every February 2. The bottom line is that it’s terrifying for Phil to be hoisted up onto a stage in front of thousands of screaming people, and flashing, bright lights. "It is stressful for any wild animal," said Stam Zervanos, a Penn State–Berks biology professor and an expert in groundhog physiology.

Questions: I don't really have any questions, but I have a comment, and that is, "If Phil the groundhog is being better treated than many of the kids in Pennsylvania themselves, then maybe instead of spending all the funds for the festival on the groundhog, the funds should be spent on the kids. And then Phil could be released, and PETA would be happy too."

Source:
Associated Press. "PETA Calls for Robotic 'Phil' at Groundhog Day Festival." Fox News. 27 January, 2010.
Crowland, Michael. "The Groundhog Day Celebration is a Display of Animal Cruelty." The Tartan. 29 January, 2007

The Essential Question

The essential question, the question that keeps us awake at night, that my partner Devante, and I chose was: What is the purpose of Animal Cruelty? Who is cruel to animals? What are their reasons? What are their beliefs? When we research this question we want to find out why people believe animal cruelty is acceptable. We believe that by answering these 4 questions we will be able to develop better reasons and arguments against animal cruelty.