Dan Scott wrote: > > On Thursday, January 30, 2003, at 10:12 AM, Keith Whaley wrote: > > > Oh, no in this country, P�l. We pretend they're all the > > personification of Bambi and Thumper, and Willie the Orca and we > > lovingly ascribe human characteristics to them, etc., ad nauseum. > > They're NEVER "just animals." Hollywood and the liberal media and the > > tree-huggers wouldn't LET them be! > > > > And, to SHOOT one and put it out of it's misery?! How cruel and > > heartless can you possibly be?! > > > > keith whaley > > > > Jeez, Keith, all of us are "just animals" when you really get down to > it. In spite of that, the occasional aberrant act of compassion on the > part of one of our fellows is usually considered a sign that our > species isn't entirely without hope. <g> (not that there's any truth in > it, of course)
Of course it's true. I know of no true sportsmen who are without compassion. My wife and I even have a medical/surgical insurance policy on one of our cats (the other isn't eligible.) If possible, that cat gets all the attention and medical care that either one of us would seek and get... > Just be careful with the, "SHOOT one and put it out of it's misery?!", > stuff will ya? If you get people to wondering if animals are capable of > feeling "misery" to a degree were _we_ should intervene on their > behalf, then those same people might wonder what else those animals > are capable of feeling and whether we should get involved in that, too. > It's a slippery slope my friend�steer clear of it. I know. Most folks are not capable of speaking (or thinking) rationally about the suffering of others of the animal kingdom. So, I try to not get them involved in an intelligent conversation about it. No fear... I am steering clear of it. It doesn't have to be shot with a gun, if it's life is painful and hanging by a thread. It can succumb to a shot of medicine just as easily as a human animal can. Most hunters or sportsmen don't carry lethal doses of injectable liquids...so the gun has to suffice. I feel terribly sad about the plight of that poor doe, with an arrow thru it's head. However, many human animals have had shafts driven thru and thru their brains, and essentially do NOT feel pain. The brain has no nerve endings capable of transmitting 'pain' signals to itself. Brain surgery is done without general anesthetic for a reason, not the least of which is it simply doesn't hurt! Lastly, it's a damned shame the so-called hunter allowed that animal get away from him. He wasn't good enough to aim for a vital area, and hit the head. Terribly, terribly sad... Still, he's further (and correctly) maligned by all for his letting this wounded animal escape. Shame, shame on him... A proper hunter is duty bound to perform the coup de gr�ce if he wounds a game animal, to relieve suffering as soon as possible. I'm deeply ashamed to admit some don't... > Dan Scott keith whaley
