I think we are being persuaded by the wrong people
- Thread starter wild bill
- Start date
Any organization, when their understanding of their authority goes extreme, then time to question their authority. PETA has reached this level.
Years ago i worked for a large pharma outfit that was targeted by peta about research on animals, you have no idea the resources these guys have and the pressure they bring to bear, globally, once they get focused on an issue.
We are fortunate that fish keeping is probably not top of their agenda as yet, but when you delve down in this hobby, there is a lot that should be improved upon. If we don't run a hobby along ethical lines we in effect give them the ammunition they need. Sooner or later we will be called to account...how difficult this will be will largely depend on how we conduct our hobby today and going forward, and how united we are.
We are fortunate that fish keeping is probably not top of their agenda as yet, but when you delve down in this hobby, there is a lot that should be improved upon. If we don't run a hobby along ethical lines we in effect give them the ammunition they need. Sooner or later we will be called to account...how difficult this will be will largely depend on how we conduct our hobby today and going forward, and how united we are.
Just like the governement trying to take my guns I'd like to see PETA try to take my fish or pets for that matter. I agree they've gone to the extreme with things and need to be put in check. I don't think they realize that the life we give some fish in the aquarium environement is way better than what would happen in their natural environment. I'm sure a lot of these fish would be lost to predation. Have to say though I do love PETA for one thing and thats buying a lot of the doe tags in my wildlife management area which means each year they award us more and more permits which means happy hunters across 5D in PA
I think this is the most important part. the aquarium industry is pretty well established and i'm sure if our hobby was being attacked the large brands and hobbyists alike would be campaigning to keep things the way they are but as others have said, peta and organizations like them can hammer at something until it changes. how many fish do you think are bought and sold that die in a tank that will never have its water changed in some 13 year olds bedroom corner? how many salt water fish from south Asia are fished using poisons that will ultimately kill them early and render them infertile so they will never reproduce? these are real problems. this is cruelty. calling animal welfare organizations crazy isn't always true. how the industry responds to threats like these will determine what happens to our hobby. i don't think there are any immediate threats to fish keeping though, there are bigger fish to fry (no pun intended)
ShadowP
, myself I'm an ARA, however I still think PETA go to far sometimes. I wasn't saying that every individual at PETA is crazy, I was referring to some of the organizations ideas and view points, the perfect one is one that you, yourself mentioned, tofu turky. I was talking to an advocate from PETA in town one day, and he basically told me that my cats would be better off dead than with me. When i told him that euthanizing a perfectly healthy animal, when it has a home and is well looked after is what's cruel, he told me that if im guna keep them, I should feed my cats SALAD! Because it was 'cruel' to feed them meat.. How is it cruel to let them eat meat if they need to eat meat? Cats are carnivores, they can't process too much plant matter. Anyone who wants to feed a carnivorous animal salad or vice versa is, in my opinion, crazy. However I will add that before trying new products, I always check PETA's cruelty free list first to find out if its been tested on animals, because they have some really high standards with what they consider 'animal products'. I suppose I should have worded the first post better. 
The scariest part is how far these animal rights terrorists are going. One group named alf were actually killing people who worked in labs where animal testing was used. Animal testing sounds cruel and wrong but how many of us would be here now if it had never been used. This is the problem these terrorist groups are twisting words to make us believe this is a cruel act. In fact they have now put animals above us because it is ok to test a product on a human as long as no animal is harmed.
I my self would not be here if it were not for animal testing. As I am a diabetic and insulin was testted on animals first. Secondly I am a transplant recipient.
Our hobby is under attack and we need to make our selves heard and loudly or we will lose. Take a look at zoos in the world none of them really want to band together. Instead the operators sit back and say well those groups aren't picking on me I will keep quiet and go unnoticed. Then the zoological groups decide we should work with these animal rights groups to come to a happy medium where everyone will be happy. Wrong way to think find a way to put these warped groups out of bussiness.
The best way to end the reign of terror groups like peta and the hsus have is to take away their charitable status. No free money no way to hire lawyers and lobby government.
I my self would not be here if it were not for animal testing. As I am a diabetic and insulin was testted on animals first. Secondly I am a transplant recipient.
Our hobby is under attack and we need to make our selves heard and loudly or we will lose. Take a look at zoos in the world none of them really want to band together. Instead the operators sit back and say well those groups aren't picking on me I will keep quiet and go unnoticed. Then the zoological groups decide we should work with these animal rights groups to come to a happy medium where everyone will be happy. Wrong way to think find a way to put these warped groups out of bussiness.
The best way to end the reign of terror groups like peta and the hsus have is to take away their charitable status. No free money no way to hire lawyers and lobby government.
I see someone mentioned hunting, and another mentioned putting animals above humans.
If anyone looks at a Facebook page where there is a legally hunted animal, there are often a lot of comments saying "I want to shoot you and watch you bleed to death to see how you like it!" And stuff like that. These people are the nutters, to value their own species less than another is evolutional retardation (if you get what I mean).
So the question is: what can we, as fish keepers, do to unite, and defend our hobby from potential threats BEFORE they occur?
If anyone looks at a Facebook page where there is a legally hunted animal, there are often a lot of comments saying "I want to shoot you and watch you bleed to death to see how you like it!" And stuff like that. These people are the nutters, to value their own species less than another is evolutional retardation (if you get what I mean).
So the question is: what can we, as fish keepers, do to unite, and defend our hobby from potential threats BEFORE they occur?
One thing we can do is go to the politicians and be as vocal as those opposing us. The hardest part of us being able win will be remaining united.
As a hunter myself I see it all the time the division. One group supports baiting bears the next says it is only sporting to spot and stalk them. A smaller group of us hunters the archers can't get along. Some claim your only an archer if you shoot stick and string. Then the stick and string and the compound shooters get together and turn on the crossbow shooters. There is no being united and the animal rights terrorists feast on it.
There may be a chance for us as well if we can find a way to turn the ART's against each other and it can work as there are divisions amoungst them. As I mentioned before taking away their charitable status is a sure fire way to truly hurt them. In fact it may even drive them into extinction because it would take away likely 95 percent of their funding. The truth would likely damage them beyond belief as very little if any of their money really goes toward caring for animals. One group I know of zoo check Canada claims to be saving wild animals lives. So just for fun I searched their web site for proof I found 1 animal. They took a 7 month old hand raised Black Bear cub and turned him lose near Jasper park. Some life saving adventure a bear with no fear of man turned lose where people camp hunt and hike. Why did they not just take the poor thing and shoot it right away. We just need to use the same tactics they do and fight fire with fire. As well we must really study and second guess the crap we read on the internet.
As a hunter myself I see it all the time the division. One group supports baiting bears the next says it is only sporting to spot and stalk them. A smaller group of us hunters the archers can't get along. Some claim your only an archer if you shoot stick and string. Then the stick and string and the compound shooters get together and turn on the crossbow shooters. There is no being united and the animal rights terrorists feast on it.
There may be a chance for us as well if we can find a way to turn the ART's against each other and it can work as there are divisions amoungst them. As I mentioned before taking away their charitable status is a sure fire way to truly hurt them. In fact it may even drive them into extinction because it would take away likely 95 percent of their funding. The truth would likely damage them beyond belief as very little if any of their money really goes toward caring for animals. One group I know of zoo check Canada claims to be saving wild animals lives. So just for fun I searched their web site for proof I found 1 animal. They took a 7 month old hand raised Black Bear cub and turned him lose near Jasper park. Some life saving adventure a bear with no fear of man turned lose where people camp hunt and hike. Why did they not just take the poor thing and shoot it right away. We just need to use the same tactics they do and fight fire with fire. As well we must really study and second guess the crap we read on the internet.
Hello; I believe the comments I highlighted approach what Wild Bill is concerned about. We already have laws to cover damage to a pet, not sure the proper legal category, but under damage to property. This places pets at a similar level to your car or other property. Giving animals rights the same as people, or even approaching human rights, is a big concern to my way of thinking and one of the things to avoid.
I already am reluctant to have a dog or cat as there are too many people and groups sticking their nose into other peoples business.
Life imprisonment for being cruel to an animal seems to go too far. Who gets to decide?
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