Yet MORE Cherokee stuff! This was on the national news last night. Apparently, former "The Price Is Right" host and animal rights activist Bob Barker (remember, he always closed the show by reminding us to have our pets spayed or neutered!) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are not happy with how 3 businesses in Cherokee, NC, treat its captive bears. They claim that the concrete pits in which the bears are kept are unsuitable and inhumane. And they're calling for a complete tourism boycott of the reservation!
The 3 zoos are privately owned and include Santa's Land, Cherokee Bear Zoo and Chief Saunooke's Bear Park. Reservation and business leaders are not happy about the negative attention, and have told Barker and PETA to stay away and mind their own business. They claim the bears are well cared for, and their facilities are regularly inspected by federal officials to comply with the Animal Welfare Act. But apparently, there's an NC state law that says captive bears must have at least 1 acre of natural habitat--and the Cherokee reservation is exempt from that law. Hmmm, so I guess the Cherokee have to comply with federal laws but not state laws? I've never understood how all that works.
I'm torn on this. I'd prefer to see bears wandering in a natural habitat--but who's to say that's any more humane than a concrete pit? Seriously--how do we know what the bears think about this? Maybe it just makes us humans feel better about keeping them in captivity?
Well, I'm afraid I won't be joining Barker's boycott (I have that conference in September), but what do you think about concrete pits vs. natural habitats??
July 31, 2009
Bob Barker Tussles with Cherokee Over Captive Bears
Posted by Riverwolf, at 9:11 AM
Labels: animal rights, bears, Bob Barker, Cherokee, Native Americans, North Carolina
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4 comments:
I can't help but think that concrete pits are not a good home for bears, or any animal for that matter. Also, when I learn that some business/organization is exempt from certain laws my automatic response is to call bullshit on it.
The PETA schmucks have no business sticking their noses into Cherokee affairs. It's so typical of racist whites interfering with Native American rights and lives.
Being part Cherokee, I have an even more reason to hold that organization in utter contempt.
I remember a trip to Vegas where I stayed at the MGM Grand. They have a lion exhibit there, but I was really disappointed to find them in this glassed cage full of fake rocks right in part of the lobby. Very small, too. It just felt wrong somehow.
And as far as PETA, I'm surprised they're just now talking about this issue. According to what I've read, those bears in Cherokee have been in the same facilities for years. I'm just wondering why this is now coming to light. Does seem rather small-fry for PETA.
Since we can't "talk" with animals yet, I'm going to have to go with checking the health of the animal to determine if they are in a suitable living condition. I don't think that concrete would be the ideal situation considering how they live in the wild but you never know.
And last time I checked, PETA isn't an all white group? (Libhom's comment)
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