Vancouver Sun:
The same Siberian tiger that mauled a 10-year-old Toronto boy six years ago killed a lifelong exotic animal lover and keeper yesterday, police say.
“We believe it to be the same animal,” said Constable Troy Carlson of Port Elgin OPP. “As far as what’s being done with the animal, at this point it’s up to the family.”
…The tiger is still in its enclosure on the property. Const. Carlson said police believe Mr. Buwalda kept the animals there legally but an investigation is ongoing. “It’s somewhat different than a dog that bites somebody,” Const. Carlson said. “What would you do with the animal if somebody went into a cage at the zoo and got mauled? Would you put the tiger down? No.”
Indeed, we should not put down a tiger for killing a human. A tiger is not a kitten. As for a dog? Yes, we must put it down if it kills a human. Dogs are a part of the human world, and that participation comes with certain advantages and disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is it can not enjoy the jungle freedoms of big cats.
For every “exotic pet” that kills its owner, we should put down another exotic pet owner.
What? Yes, the tiger should be put down, or at the very least go to a suitable zoo. People should not keep wild animals. Big cats can’t enjoy “jungle freedoms” if they are not in the jungle.
How many people need to be killed by tigers before people realize they’re not “pets?”
MILLENIA to domesticate some species… dogs, horses, cattle. The housecat, though I remain skeptical.
Yet some think they’re special, they got some magical influence, that they can domesticate a wild animal in one generation…
I blame Disney for putting that kind of shit in people’s heads. Disney.
Tigers are lovable animals! My tiger would never hurt anyone. Just because some tiger owners are irresponsible doesn’t mean all owners should be punished.
Breed bans don’t work!
Now watch it @4, you’re ticking me off.
Animals aren’t things to be kept in prisons for people’s pleasure.
4 is right. Heck, last time I looked I myself am not domesticated, although I usually manage to simulate it…
“we” put down the tiger that chased down & killed those drunk idiots in SF. and that tiger was fucking righteous.
@7 I assume you are against imprisoning dogs in homes, castrating them, imprisoning cattle on ranches, imprisoning goldfish, etc., and what about the animals that imprison other animals? the eagle that takes an innocent salmon and lifts it into its aerie….this eagle should be told to stop it, no?
because all nature shows universal love and respect, right?
I want a polar bear.
@9 – Thank you for reminding me of Katt William’s piece on that tiger. Funniest damn thing I’ve seen in ages.
“If you’ve raised a kid, at any age, that’s dumb enough to climb into a tiger’s cage – you should have told him the rest of the goddamn story: “…then the tiger will eat your ass, that’s the end, that’s what’s supposed to happen.” “
“And the tiger would be fucked up cause he thinks he’s supposed to be eating elephants and giraffes but everyday they come and feed him with meat out of the bucket…
…I bet the tiger has got the lowest he can possibly get: “Are you sure I’m a tiger? I don’t feel very much like a tiger. Maybe I’m just a vicious ass koala bear, did you ever investigate that?” “
Tigers are sweet, gentle, loyal animals if they’re properly socialized. Owners must engage in extensive training using the proper methods and tools (whips and chairs, primarily, although sometimes a gun that fires blanks is also used) and observe some simple rules: The tiger must never be around people who are afraid, angry, or weak and struggling. The tiger should never be around food that isn’t its own. Tigers do poorly in the presence of any animal smaller than a tiger. Children must be taught to never show fear in the tiger’s presence.
The problem is the irresponsible owners who neglect these simple rules because they want a pet that is “tough” or “awesome.”
Oh come on Dan, we know what’s really going on here. You just don’t like dogs. You’re a cat person.
@10
Can it w/ the false equivalencies. They never add anything to the debate & they show everyone that you really don’t know what you’re talking about.
@13 – Your first paragraph was a joke, right?
Dogs have only themselves to blame for becoming trapped in the machine of human society. It was the obsequious wolves who chose to tie their fate to ours, and are now bred & controlled for our pleasure.
Housecats are only partly domesticated. Maybe only as far as they are willing to go … until humanity falls, they step out of our shadow and take over in a quick, canny evolutionary move.
The larger cats and other wild animals are only ever our unwilling captives. A merciful humanity would let them be free.
Re: 10 … The point you miss in 7’s statement is that what differentiates humanity from the law of the jungle is that we can choose to act against our instincts, and make moral choices.
Tiger Woods killed Nike?
14, i seem to remember he recently admitting to hating dogs, not just “not liking” them. he wanted to have his own dog stuffed and mounted (gee, that doesn’t sound right..) and on his mantle, rather than eating his undies.
i admire the honesty.
BTW, in the province of Ontario (where this happened, and where I live), it is not legal to keep a pit bull. But you can keep a tiger, even a tiger who (apparently) mauled a 10 year old boy before.
I have to admit upon thinking that thought I wondered what Dan Savage would think about that…
Furthermore families of victims should not get the final say in the life of an animal that was merely acting on instincts. To think that killing this animal would change the problem of wild tigers attacking humans is laughable, while killing the dog who happened to start to go wild is a totally different story.