Are Zoos Necessary

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Are Zoos Necessary

As a child I can remember when I misbehaved the absolute worst punishment my parents could inflict: I would be banished to my bedroom, the length of time depending on the seriousness of the "crime." It seemed that every possible want and desire I had while being punished was related to an activity just outside the confines of that bedroom. The hours seemed like days and the time spent "locked" in my room was unbearable. When I look back on those "torturous" days of my childhood, I can't believe what the big deal was. If I hadn't been punished, most likely I probably would have spent my free time in my bedroom anyway. Who was I kidding, locked in a room with a TV set, all of my toys and comic books, who could possibly consider being confined to this "habitat" as punishment?

While I wasn't "confined" for more than a day or two or put on display for other kids in the neighborhood to observe, I can see a resemblance to the animals that are locked up in their "rooms" at the zoo. While their rooms have most of the same things as their natural habitats, it is the thought that they do not get to leave after Mom or Dad has finally broken down and absolved them of their crime. This is their life for the foreseeable future. They haven't misbehaved and they certainly did nothing worthy of being punished for. What right do we have to exert our authority over other non-human species? Shouldn't animals be afforded the same basic rights as you and I? It is my belief that despite their professed concern for animals, zoos remain more "collections" of interesting "items" than actual havens or simulated habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals in captivity, bored, cramped, lonely and far from their n...

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Peta Action Alerts. June 2000. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals www.peta-online.org

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