Correct Super....What ever the morals of this....the later part is sick. I am not against using the meat (if the animal is dead...it is a useful use of the meat)....but the "showmanship" of the whole thing leaves a bad taste....no pun intended. My father a vegetarian, always said...everyone who wants to eat meat should, but only after they have killed and prepared their own meat at least once...just to know how hideous the whole thing is. I have a feeling some point (political or otherwise) is being made by the zoo
Surely the dissection of a dead animal is anything but "showmanship" - Can tell you from experience that I have a 15 year old son who spent his first 6 years in UK and squemish at absolutely everything and wouldn't even be able to pick up even a worm or snail - Yet eats meat as if he were a carnivore. My 9 year old however has spent all his time in DK - been "subjected" to all sorts of experiments at school that we wouldn't think of in UK and has a far greater understanding of everything around him and respects far more and constantly harrases the older one for waste. If there is anything that the Scandinavians do well it is living their values and providing real rights for everything and one - And I'm sure you're father would more than likely have approved of the more open manner in which the young are informed here of the stark realities. Apologise for my earlier mirth but can assure that this was not showboating. The zoo would not have been the ones taking these pictures and having them published.
More I read this the more I am sure the Zoo was making a point...but about what and to whom I am not sure. Butchers do not do the initial cutting up of carcasses infront of their paying customers, or otherwise they would lose their market...and I agree with you...people should know where their meat comes from.....incidentally. I am a scientist and a vegetarian (so I have my own internal mixed messages in my own head) Finally...now, no animal experiments are done in schools any more as far as I know
What I find sick is that the giraffe was given a name, Marius, to appeal to kids and encourage them to adopt it, mentally anyway - then its bolt-shot and dissected in front of them. Sounds like something out of 1930's Germany
That's got to be the first time in the history of the World Wide Web Godwin was invoked for a Giraffe
True, Swords. But it's the attitude of mind, I don't like. I'm no bunny-hugger, I eat meat and think it right that kids should learn that it comes from animals in fields and isn't created by Tesco's. But why encourage children to become emotionally attached to an animal, and then butcher it in front of them? It may sound a small step, but the zoo humanized the giraffe, or at least made it seem like a pet by giving it a name. There was a similar outcry in England, among parents, a year or two ago, when a school asked children to treat some farm animals it kept, as pets, and then had them select which ones would go to market. Imo, if the zoo is going to cull animals, treat them like wild animals and don't give them names for public use
Sorry Goldhawk, maybe it's the Scandinavian way but extremely doubtful that any of these kids that go to the Zoo once maybe twice a year at most got emotionally attached to Marius the Giraffe. Also 99.9% of Scandinavian kids have some sort of an incling that an animal taller than most houses here is not a pet. On behalf of the Danish people we unreservedly apologise to the UK for this heinous act, however, the kids here I can assure you are alright. As for 1930's Germany - I'm sure that's a reference you'd rather have left in your thought process rather than have typed out!!
I probably did go a bit over the top (no pun intended) on the German stuff, Danish. No offence meant to the Danes (except possibly the decision-makers at the zoo). As I say, we've had something similar here. People, kids particularly, do become attached to animals of all sizes. I remember there was an elephant in London Zoo that fell off a platform into a moat. The crane operation was front page news and there was great sadness when it died. I stand by what I say - treat an animal as wild or part of the food chain. Humanise others and give them a name and call them a pet. But don't mix the two.
Bloody hell - just got in from work and it's literally on every channel. I've misgauged the reaction, the Danes are up in arms!!! My youngest just wanted to make sure that he was eaten, When I said yes he replied " Smart but not good"
Is saving Danish giraffe's life overly sentimental? Is a point of view question, Has anyone asked the lions there opinion?
Has anyone asked the cows opinion? 1 giraffe died so 3 cows could live, but no one gives a **** about the cows.
The whole issue was barbaric. If they had named the creature Hughes however, I may have somehow found the butchery more palatable.
I honestly don't think I've ever come across a more ridiculous story making international news. What's the matter with people? Have they all lost their minds or what?
