Cheyrul wrote:
I also DID NOT defend anything!I said I thought the kids were mostly gentle once a rabbit was caught and the adults were horrible, how is that defending them?
Sure, when they were caught, but I saw at least 3 rabbits nearly get trampled and that one that was bolting away and chased down eventually was obviously terrified.
Just because it doesn't result in physical injury does not mean there is no trauma. I doubt those rabbits will make very good kids pets simply for how they were treated during this event. I think I would be terrified if I saw that mob of children.
I think kids and rabbits CAN work, SOMETIMES. Nova went to a home with a very responsible child. BUT I will never, ever promote an event such as this one. It is irresponsible, abusive and flat out disgusting.
I realize people love their kids (And I want to clarify so there is no misunderstanding, this is not directed at you Cheryl) but it never ceases to amaze me what abuse people will force animals to go through just to amuse them. We perform at Pet Expo and every year they have petting zoos and pony rides, both things I do NOT support. The animals look absoloutly miserable and it seems like parents and people are so blind to it because it makes their kid happy. Why should one go through misery to make children happy? Give them a bubble gun, I'm sure they'll be just as amused, probably for even longer then an animal can offer, and no one has to get hurt.
It's that kind of thinking, that nothing is more important then a child's "happiness", that causes this sort of thing to happen. Sure, it's not done out of malicious intent. But it is completely irresponsible. But I guess the people at this rodeo just don't give a ****.
...Then again, it's a rodeo, so that right there says how important animal care is to them. Speaking as someone who rides and has seen the other side of rodeo then the public, I've seen how some of those animals are treated. All for the sake of entertainment.
