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| image Jeff Moore for Daily Mail |
I do love all creatures, yes I eat meat but I'm very particular about where it comes from and how the animals and birds have been treated and raised before they arrive on my plate. I do have friends that are vegetarian and I respect their attitude to meat. I myself believe that everything on the planet eats every other living thing on the planet, and that includes living plants. I feel it is the natural order of things. I know there are others who would disagree with me and I'm totally cool with that.
What I can't abide is cruelty to any animal or bird. It's never ok and it's never necessary.
So I was pleased to read that finally a gamekeeper has been given a custodial sentence for killing a bird of prey. Actually he trapped it and then battered it to death. You could be forgiven for thinking it is not illegal to kill raptors in this country, it happens so frequently. But it is against the law.
The big surprise during the trial, and it is to be applauded, is the Sheriff's ruling that covert video footage taken by the Scottish RSPB, was admissible evidence.
The list of birds, trapped, poisoned and shot is huge and includes Buzzards, Red Kites, Barn Owls, Tawny Owls, Peregrines, Hen Harriers, White Tailed Sea Eagles, Golden Eagles and Goshawks.
John over at his blog wrote a piece a couple of days ago about Badgers being persecuted, and the dogs that are injured too during this barbaric activity. You can read his post here.
Finally I would like to ask you to consider signing a petition to stop another illegal activity that is cruel beyond words. That is the trade in dog meat. Please take a look here and see what is going on and how we might put an end to it.
"Early one morning...." Wrong Blog Willie.."Oh! Sorry"!
ReplyDeleteThe Scotsman imprisoned was from Aberdeen...George
Mutch...AND...The sentence was pathetic..4 months for
each offence...There's quite a few who are taken to court
for wildlife offences...But! As you say the first imprisonment.
Hopefully not the last!
Lots of people who know me, or have the pleasure of knowing
me..!:). Know l am given, or l pick up and consume a lot of game.
I don't kill a thing...Mentioned this before...Just can't. But, once
an animal/bird is brought to me in a deceased state...I'll skin it,
gut it, clean it...Oh! And cook it...Then....Well you know the rest.
If people think l'm gonna pay £6~£8 for a chicken in Tescos, they
are very much mistaken. I also know exactly where my animals
come from...But! I must confess..."Our Father..Who art in......"
Over many..Neah! many years, on my travels...I've eaten some
funny things..AND...I don't mean funny...HaHa!
Finally...I do get a lot of pheasants, partridge, rabbits etc...
Which are shot....So called weekly shoots, around here
they pay up to £1000 a day, bang a few pheasants, posh
lunch...And, allowed to take home just a brace...Which they
don't...As their wives prefer to pay £25 brace at Harrods.....
I have always been against such activity...Young birds breed
and raised in March/April...Just to be slaughtered in Dec/Feb.
(I~REST~MY~CASE).
ooooooooooO! Bit serious this one..............! Goodness!
Can't leave without a funny....
"Why don't Owls make love in the rain" ????
"Cos it's to Wet to Woo"!
I think it's very important to know all about the food we eat and what producers have done to it and that includes crops. We're the top of the food chain and we should show respect and compassion to the creatures we farm. As you do.
DeleteGreat owl joke btw, just the ticket, a chuckle first thing, well almost first thing.
Jean
x
You know! There's one thing l'm always
Deletebaffled at...I've brought this subject up
many..many times over the years.....
Without anyone explaining..."Why Not"?
Must of us, are sad to see the upsetting
starvation in Africa...Right!.....Right!......
People...Children...Dying by the thousands.
Now! in the 'National Parks' there are thousands
of wildebeest/zebra....Just wandering about......
Waiting to be eaten by lions/hyenas/leopards etc..
Can you see where l'm going with this...Yes! of
course you can. What is the problem with culling
a few of those wildebeest, and feed them to the
starving people...And...As a joke l follow that up
by saying..."Imagine how many people an elephant
would feed". Just as a joke course! Of course!
I've just got home a while ago....Picked up a rabbit, along
'Badbury Rings'. HeHe! It's been seen to....Potatoes,
carrots, turnips, parsnips....Rabbit stew for tomorrows
lunch...! Nice vino calapso! Sorted! :>).
I'm no expert on this but I would assume what you suggested would be difficult because the hunger problem is widespread throughout the whole of the African continent. The animals that roam couldn't possibly be enough to feed everybody, and if some were culled who would butcher the creatures and distribute them without payment. And if there was enough money to pay for that then there would be money to grow crops which are cheaper than meat, and then folk could grow their own crops. We hear stories of how aid money doesn't even get through because of government corruption. It's a right old sorry state of affairs.
DeleteJean
x
Well...I am an expert..Of sorts. I know a great deal
Deleteabout Africa. Animals out number humans...100's-1.
Firstly! the biggest mistake nations make...Is to send
money. The people need educating first and for most!
Send the necessary qualified people to teach them, to
live a take care of there selves and families!
Secondly, crops are unable to grow in most parts of Africa.
The land is dry, no rain, nothing! These people need human
help...NOT money!
And, no, 'l' would'nt kill the animals, l'd take some who would
and could though....I would certainly do the rest....
Wow! What a Barbeque........! :).
(A few loaves and fishes maybe)!!!
Obviously different countries have different ideas as to what constitutes cruelty - what to us is barbaric is just part of everyday life to them. But saying that, seeing the picture of those dogs makes me feel sick to my stomach.
ReplyDeleteLots of different cultures eat all sorts of things and generally that can be a good thing because it means they eat every part of an animal that has been killed for food. I do realise that different cultures have different ideas about cruelty, that is why so many humans around the world are suffering too. But this trade is actually illegal in the countries it is being performed in so not acceptable to their own cultures either. If you have the time click over to the website and you will read that they skin the animals alive because they believe that if the animal is in pain when dying it makes the meat tender. And some of these animals are stolen from people who have them as family pets. So more than one crime being committed.
DeleteJean
x
I agree with you wholeheartedly as you know, Jean. I will sign the petition. We've been discussing the gamekeeper case in our classes recently. The 1981 Wildlife Act brought in a whole raft of legally enforceable protection for a wide range of species and raptors get pretty high level protection, but prosecutions are hard because of the evidence base. I am SO GLAD this man has been made accountable for his actions. Good on the RSPB.
ReplyDeleteI will sign Jean. Cruelty to any living creature is totally unacceptable. It makes me so angry. I am pleased that the gamekeeper has been made an example of, perhaps it will deter others. I find it disgusting that they are killing birds of prey just so they can enjoy shooting other birds. Going into town today so will post your notebook xx
ReplyDeleteThank you on both counts. I am looking forward to receiving my notebook. I'm away for a few days but hubby is here to take delivery and I will do a nice little post about the giveaway on my return.
DeleteJean
x
Thank you for drawing our attention to this, I have signed the petition. I can't bare to look at the photos so could not watch the video. I too eat meat but the treatment of those poor animals is barbaric. How can some humans be so cruel?
ReplyDeleteI too deplore cruelty to animals, but I'm not against eating meat, just not too much! Life today can seem unbalanced, cruel and excessive. One of my sons loved to fish when a boy, but had a strong conscience about only catching some to eat and one or two to give to our neighbours.
ReplyDelete