Lions, Tigers, zebras on the walls,

Lions, Tigers  Bears and Exotics --- Many are on the endangered list

After dinner, Dick and his two guests, Paul and Mike, retired to the study for that age old ritual, smoking Cuban cigars and sipping expensive brandy. Mike had never visited Dick before and marveled at the number of mounted animals all over the wooden walls of his study. He didn't recognize some of the animals as Mike was treated to a look at Dick's trophies. He noticed he was standing on a zebra skin rug as he admired the jaguar and leopard heads. Their yellow eyes were spooky. Mike remarked, "Damn, you sure have traveled all over the world!"

In truth, this particular "mighty hunter," as others like him, wasn't traveling where any of these animals lived. He didn't crouch in the bushes or wait in a tree for the prey. Dick merely made a phone call, when he was ready for another trophy. He drove a little over twenty miles to kill the animal requested to the owner of the "Canned Hunting" operation. The Humane Society of the United States, PETA, and many other animal organizations have been unsuccessful in halting this cruel practice.

Dr. Felthers Brandt of the Limpopo Provence, is one of nature's Conservatory Officials. Though his job is to prohibit the practice of selling exotic and endangered wildlife, their babies, he doesn't stand much of a chance. Poor people will do anything to survive, poaching is a way to make enough money to feed their families.

When money is paid to poachers, they will find a way to capture these animals. What can be done to stop these poachers? It is a million dollar business to the owners of such a cruel career. One well known politician has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for the privilege to murder these helpless animals.

wc 925

Many of the doomed animals are castoffs from zoos or private collectors, exotic animal auctions, as well as owners of big cats and other wild pets that need new homes. At this time, we have a large number of lions nobody wants except the canned hunters.Combined with the smuggled exotic animals from South Africa, the demand is increasing. In fact, The money intended for conservation is slated for other improvements. Section two principles of the new Enviromnental Act 107 was passed in 1998. Why is this not enforced?

Canned Hunting for trophies is killing animals in small pens with no escape. The lion, tiger or jaguar has no idea what happens next. There is no fear. Humans feed and pet them, making them feel safe. They become domesticated and some may grow attached to these indivisionals. They feel safe and happy until it is their turn to be a trophy on a politician's wall or anyone else with the cash. The owner and manager makes hundreds of thousands of dollars in an obscenely short amount of time, according to PETA and other organizations.

Many of the humane organizations are working hard to stifle canned hunting, but it involves a lot of money and there is always the easy way of bribery. The animal rights organizations fight strong battles against the big money.The organizations support the bill that forbids the importation of animals from South Africa still today. How can the bill be enforced? The public should take a stand and prevent this unethical practice by supporting  legislature that no wild captured and poached animals to be brought into the United States and outlaw canned hunting (it's like dog and cock fighting), Of course, it brings in millions of dollars to those who are involved in the "business."

Mattew Sully, author of Dominion, has this to say about the practice of canned hunting, or killing animals in small enclosures to trophies, "They practice a a form of conscious Sadism here," Sully said, condemning canned hunting. He continued, " Ethnics at the Safari Club is an ordered liberalism like teaching cannibals to use a table napkin and not to take the last portion."

When will it stop? We can become more involved by speaking to your representatives and even the President.--- Many of us have already. The cost will just increase and people operating the so- called sport will have more overhead. But at this time, animals are being mowed down by crossbows and other methods.

The exotic and other animals are cruelly killed by mainly by the crossbow, the hunter's weapon of choice. It takes a lot of skill to use one. A number of animals take a while to die, even from repeated shots. PETA has a video of one of these incidents. The poor animal, an exotic goat, kept trying to stand during more hits of a badly aimed crossbow. He eventually bled to death as the killers watched, laughing and joking and drinking beer.

Most sportsmen hunt properly. Hunting is tracking down wild game and shooting animals, usually deer. They skin them and eat the meat. A taxidermist can mount the animal as a trophy that came from the wild. These hunters resent canned hunting. The cruel practice of canned hunting makes hunters look bad.

It will be an uphill fight, but humane organizations and concerned citizens are on top of things. However, there is just too much money and politics that block the way. Keep writing representatives and tell everyone what is happening to these animals. It is not fair, but neither are a lot of other practices. As long as there are people like Dick willing to pay the money, canned hunting isn't going away.