Texas zoos to feed live strays to lions. Please take this poll.

[RebelOne]

Tourist attraction? Texas zoos to feed live strays to lions to save money/attract tourists?


Will San Antonio families travel to a Texas zoo to view live animal feeding?
I might go to see a terrorist served up to the lions but not a stray dog from the animal control facility! DEVELOPING STORY. Take our poll.
See the menu on the left of your display. Below: Reader Responds!

http://escapesanantonio.com/

[Vogon_Glory]

1. Feed 'Em Townie Deer Instead!

I live in a suburban Austin, Texas neighborhood (With houses dating back to the 1960's) with a large deer population. I personally think that some of those deeer should do something useful, productive, and entertaining, and make one-way trips to the big cat cages in Bexar County.

[Intelsucks]

2. Another central Texas DU'er... Welcome, there are quite a few of us

here.:hi:

[RebelOne]

4. I do not agree with you.

I take it you are a hunter. Only a person who enjoys killing would make a statement like that.

[Vogon_Glory]

36. Guess Again, Deer-Petter!

I'm someone who lacks sentimentality about the cute little deer overrunning and out-breeding their habitat's ability to sustain them. Moreover, I'm someone who knows people who have had deer collisions that have threatened their lives and health.

Furthermore, I am also someone who has had his own deer collision when a deer bolted from well away from the side of the road, ran parallel to my automobile, then cut right in front of my vehicle right in the middle of a long built-up area. The repairs weren't cheap.

So spare me the moralizing. I'm not buying it.

:P

[CapnJackSparrow]

45. If you've ever...

...been in a car wreck with a deer, you'd understand the problem. I have - it is an intense experience.

The people I know who really get it are organic vegetable farmers who do it for a living. The common epithet among them is that deer are "rats with hooves" that can absolutely destroy a harvest - and if you're doing organic, there is little room for error.

As a result, the shoot every deer they see, are unapologetic about it, and maintain freezers full of venison while giving a great deal to the homeless.

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. Wouldn't have to go all the way to Austin

Hollywood Park has plenty of deer walking around.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

3. ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH

WHO COMES UP WITH THESE IDEAS???????????????????

Sorry for the caps - this just makes me SO ANGRY!!

[GOPisEvil]

5. That's just cruel...

...euthanizing strays is bad enough.

[commander bunnypants]

6. I agree very cruel and heartless

DDQM

[Kamika]

7. I think that could be pretty neat

It might be cruel but it's exactly what happens in real life

[Imalittleteapot]

8. In real life lions are not in cages

and live dogs are not given to them for breakfast.

[Kamika]

9. no..

but when they eat they capture and eat live animals

[bicentennial_baby]

11. Pretty neat?!

Are you for real? :puke: Remind me to keep my dogs away from you!

[Kamika]

13. mm

dogs are tasty you know :9

[7th_Sephiroth]

44. kamika

remind me not to eat at your restauraunt, but seriously, we need to talk

[WillParkinson]

18. What?

People go out and collect stray animals to feed them to the wild animals?

I sincerely doubt that.

Heck, since animals kill people, too, let's just start throwing the homeless in as well.

[RebelOne]

19. But in real life, the prey has the chance to escape.

A dog thrown in a cage with a hungry lion doesn't have that chance.

[LynneSin]

10. Feed em the dumbasses that thought up this idea

I'd pay to see that one

[izzie]

12. Well all those Tx came to Alaska and just left their animals when

they left. In that cold. Heartless.They just love to kill things for some odd reason.

[Ishoutandscream]

22. Are you saying all Texans

To quote several on this board who have gone after me when I have defended Texas before, "Aren't you painting with a broad brush?"

[Whitacre D_WI]

14. Yes, we should make all the lions eat grass, instead.

So what, they cannot digest grass? At least they will starve to death knowing they Did the Right Thing(tm).


BTW -- no, I do not think feeding live animals to the lions should be treated as a spectator event. That said, the animals have to eat.

[GOPisEvil]

15. They eat meat now, don't they?

I always thought they did.

Or, does Purina make Lion Chow?

[Whitacre D_WI]

16. Of course they eat meat.

I'm not saying "all right, let's feed strays to lions!" Personally, I find the idea vile.

What I am saying is that the issue is more complicated than that. First, there is the problem of strays. Second, there is the problem of lions needing to eat.

The strays get killed anyway, much better for them to go toward a lion's nourishment than thrown into a dumpster. I would certainly prefer that they be killed in a humane manner, THEN fed to the lions.

[GOPisEvil]

17. Oh, ok...that makes sense.

If a municipality prefers to euthanize stray animals, I prefer something good be done with the remains. As long as the dead strays are safe for zoo animals, it's better than incinerating the remains. Of course Vet schools need the donations, too.

[Whitacre D_WI]

20. True.

I only posted because I fear that this thread could quickly degenerate into cognitive dissonance -- e.g. "what kind of monster would feed cats and dogs to lions!?!?!?" when we already feed the lions beef; and many of us eat beef and pork ourselves. Hell, a pig is just as intelligent as a dog or cat.

In the interest of full disclosure, I loves me some pork. In fact, there is no part of the pig I will not eat (even if the only way I'll eat it is if it's made into sausage). That said, I have never eaten dog or cat, and likely will never -- as dog and cat is not commonly eaten in the US; and in those places where they are eaten, they are often kept in such appalling conditions that I wouldn't want my dining dollars to go toward furthering the practice.

I could never personally kill a dog or cat (unless one attacked my birds, then I'd snap the fucker's neck without a second thought), but we humans can make our decisions on what to eat and how to get it. We can survive on diets ranging from quite carnivorous (though we do still need a good amount of plant matter in our diets), through lacto-ovo, to vegan.

The lion, on the other hand, must eat meat to survive. And if the strays are going to be put down anyway....

[elfwitch]

29. They eat...

A very specific mix of chicken and perk in loaf form that is vitamin fortified and has to pass USDA inspection like any other meat.

I worked at the San Antonio Zoo. I've seen the stuff. I've portioned it out for all the meat eating animals to eat.

[Whitacre D_WI]

30. Sounds like Spam!

[elfwitch]

31. Actually...

It sounds a lot like the Ham and Chicken loaf stuff they used to feed my husband when he was in the Marines. He told me about it and it souded damn near the same.

[MisterP]

42. you mean pork, not perk?

[bif]

21. How about feeding them Republicans?

That I'd pay to see.

[Ganja Ninja]

37. Christian fundies too.

Where's your Messiah now Mel!

[Vogon_Glory]

41. Make It A Spectacle

Make it a spectacle. The guys could put on their Roman togas, gals their stoas, and zookeepers could put on gladiatorial armor. As the most obnoxious polyester pharisee preacher begs foah Mercy, Jaaaayyyyzuzahhhh, we could give him the thumbs down!



:evilgrin:

[IconoclastIlene]

43. Now there is an idea worth looking into.

Next, the Fundies, okay?

[SoCalDem]

23. Texans... here's how you solve it..

Spay/Neuter and KEEP YOUR ANIMALS INSIDE OR IN A SECURE YARD.

I know there are still people who think that "animals "need" to be able to "run free", BUT.. that usually ends badly.. It may not happen for years, but "most" free-range pets come to an untimely and painful demise, either by car,sickness or by another larger animal (human or non-human)..

If you do not have the ability to have a large safe yard, please do not get a german shephard, great dane,or any other large animal..

Cats are predators...they roam, and they kill things.. It may be ok to assume that they are killing mice, but they also kill birds, endangered reptiles, and in the process may be ingestiing poisons that those creatures have also ingested.. They can be bitten in fights and catch a myriad of diseases, which they will bring home to the other family pets..

I have heard ..so many times.. "Oh, he just loves to go outside, and he never leaves my yard"..only to get a frantic phone call a while later about how worried they are because "he must have run off".. He did not "run off"...he was either killed by a car, a dog, a person, or he may have been trapped and sent to the "kill shelter"..

I am disgusted to think that someone's pet who got out accidentally, might end up as a lion's lunch, but it's not really much different that letting Fluffy outside, only to have a coyote take her away..

I hope they re-think this..

[Hell Hath No Fury]

26. Unfortunately many in Texas...

have a very unenlightened view on domestic animals.

My sister is a wildlife rehaber/domestic rescuer in the Dallas area and daily laments the ignorance and lack of caring that too many there show towards their pet and animals in general.

Spay/neuter, shots, even basic medical care for pets is unheard of for many families. My sister has spent the last 10 years cleaning up the mess of rampant breeding, disease, and terrible mistreatment.

There are certainly people down there who care deeply about domestic animals and wildlife and do amazing work, but the greater culture just doesn't place much value on them, making is very difficult to advocate and make changes in local policy and practices.

[AlienGirl]

25. This HAS to be a spoof, right?

What zoo would want the kind of bad publicity this stunt would generate? And what zookeeper in his or her right mind would risk exposing the lions to the possible parasites and diseases stray dogs might carry?

Tucker

(edited for rat on keyboard)

[RebelOne]

27. Okay, this just appeared on the Web site. Glad it's not true.

Editor Comment: "While this idea gets your bile up, we have not found any evidence that this is seriously contemplated by any zoo keeper in the United States of America. Asia might be another story in another culture. The idea might have come from one of our nutty lawmakers in Austin while at a Sixth Street boozer last week. Those guys need to know that bars have ears and that boozed up elected officials should be cautious about their humor. No need to march on your zoo. It ain't gonna happen in the U.S.A. Execption being the live rats they feed to snakes and a few other animals needing live chow. A reader suggested that we export stray dogs to parts of the world where they are the main meat dish. Another reminds us that in Europe butcher shops, they leave the fur on a rabbit's feet and head so the consumers can be certain that they are not buying a cat!" Calm down folks!"

[elfwitch]

28. I used to work for the ZOO and that is complete BULLSHIT....

I used to work at the San Antonio Zoo. There is no way in hell that any zoo would feed strays to any animals in the zoo. There are many reasons for this that have nothing to do with it being inhumane.

First, strays cannot be thoroughly checked enough for disease to pass the high standards required for food served to zoo animals.

Second, the San Antonio Zoo is across the street from the main San Antonio Animal Control facility and when strays do get on zoo grounds they are either trapped and returned to animal control or if they are being a menace and harming zoo animals (especially the bird collection) they are shot and incinerated.

The zoo has a very strict policy on this. Many years ago a stray from the animal control got on to the zoo grounds and killed about $500,000 worth of exotic birds.

[RebelOne]

38. See my post above. It is not true.

[elfwitch]

39. True or not...

It puts zoos in a bad place. Some people already have low opinions of zoos. Stuff like this doesn't make them any better.

Say what some people will about the but modern zoos are places where the animals receive not only the best care available, but they strive to help repopulate natural habitats of endangered species and to save those species whose habitats are disappearing.

Most zoo workers are committed to wildlife and conservation. Negative press only furthers some people's beliefs that zoos are animal jails.

[LeahMira]

32. Sick idea.

Will San Antonio families travel to a Texas zoo to view live animal feeding?

What a horrible idea! No wonder they are all nuts down there in Texas! The very idea that there are people who would even consider that makes me sad.

[elfwitch]

34. Look People....

Quit maligning Texas. I know that a lot of the people in the state appear to be F-ed up Neanderthal rednecks, but GEEZE people.

I lived in San Antonio MOST of my life. It is a great city with wonderful people. The Zoo used to be one of the best in the WORLD.

Texans are not more sick and demented that people any place else. If anything Texans just don't hide it very well.

Quite a few people on this board are Texans. Many of us were born here. Lay off okay?

Just because one retard made the rest of us look bad doesn't mean that EVERYBODY is as much of a psychotic zealot as he is.

[Rabrrrrrr]

35. Why would it be a horrible idea? You do understand that some animals

eat other animals, right? And you do understand that animals that eat other animals aren't evil, right?

Apart from the obvious truth that they aren't going to feed live animals because of disease problems, there is NOTHING sick about it if it were possible to feed them live animals and watch them feed.

I'd be very fascinated to see it, especially if we could watch the lion or tiger hunt the animal down. That's what they do, and I find it interesting, and would like to see it live once.

Nothing sick about it at all. It's nature. It's what happens.

[Rabrrrrrr]

33. Not gonna happen

and as the article says, it's not gonna happen.

I wuold have no problem with zoos feeding live animals to the lions and tigers, and when I was at the tiger exhibition at the Bronx Zoo, I was very disappointed that the "live feeding" show they offered was just feeding the tigers meatballs on a stick.

So, I had a nice conversation with one of the keepers - why not throw in an antelope or deer or something, let that tiger actually hunt?

Response: can't control diseases in a live feeder animal. So they feed only already slaughtered, cut up, disease free meat.

Certainly they'd never offer stray animals to the zoo animals.

Jeez.

[Catshrink]

40. I just got around to reading the article...

I'd seen the original post this morning but didn't have time to visit the site until now. Thank God it's just a rumor!

This thought really upset me. Yeah, I'm a cat person but I'd have a dog if I thought I could take care of one responsibly. I just cringed at the thought. But I believed it, coming from Texas, land of that jackass Bush.

I am SO HAPPY this isn't true!