Ladies and gentlemen, behold, Dr Bertelsen has replied. First, let me remind what I said to him: Dear Dr. Bertelsen: Please forgive any errors and awkward composition in this online translated message. I am bilingual but neither language is Danish, so I had to use Google. First, thank you in advance for reading my email and giving it serious consideration. I am not going to attack you or be ugly, I assure you. I am one of millions of world citizens who are shocked, dismayed and alarmed about what is, apparently, a common practice at zoos in general. I hope you can appreciate how this practice attacks the very essence of what the visiting patrons believe is your raison detre. Any efforts to get us to see it from your point of view will likely be met with incredulity and deepening dismay. We will wonder why you have the job you do when you find it easy to justify expedient euthanasia, when we have expected you to fight for the lives of your charges. I add my voice to everyone elses in protest against this practice in all zoos. Otherwise, you must rename your facility an abattoir and post the expiry date on all the animals you consider expendable based on criteria antithetical to humanitarianism. That you and the zoo industry are so comfortable with marking healthy individuals for death strongly signals that you all have fallen so far out of step with the rest of humanity that immediate and comprehensive reform must be legislated. I very much hope to hear in the next few days that all culling (what a benign sounding euphemism) has been suspended until your protocols and policies are reviewed and corrected in light of the values of your paying patrons and of the increasingly enlightened world. Thank you again in advance for your serious consideration of my words and values. I look forward to hearing words of reformation from you and/or your employer very soon and that we can trust that when we reconsider going, we are not looking at death row. Sincere regards, Now, his reply: Thanks for your email (which came out as complete nonsense in Danish). I understand your concern, but sincerely hope that you are others will come to understand how humane killing of certain individuals is actually a sound strategy, and the fact that Zoos now have enough success with breeding efforts to do this (rather than collecting animals from the wild) is a sign of healthy management. It’s alike to the old saying of not being able to make an omelet without breaking eggs… Please remember that there is nothing inherently wrong with killing animals. Millions and millions are killed every day for us humans to eat. In a zoo like ours perhaps we are talking dozens over a year. Try to get common sense proportions into your criticism. Best regards, Mads Mads F. Bertelsen, DVM, DVSc, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl ECZM (Zoo Health Management) Associate Veterinarian Copenhagen Zoo Denmark It is, how you say, obtuse, obdurate, and ODD, no? Id laugh harder except Im still mourning his 5 butcher victims. Clearly, he is stuck in a moral sieve and is not about to climb out of it. Too bad, really. So now, I have a poll for your vote. Should I reply: A. Thanks for your reply (which came out as complete nonsense in English). I am guessing what you meant to say was: Although it has been a long-standing practice to euthanize excess inventory, it is becoming clearer each day that our self-fashioned mandate must be adjusted and be more responsive to our customers, the paying patrons of our zoos. Clearly, they are becoming more vested in the welfare of animals. If we do not, they will stop patronizing our zoos and our mandate in any form will be rendered moot. Im so glad you are willing to break out of the hide-bound box in which you have held yourself captive. I look forward to seeing you and EAZA evolve further. We agree: evolution is a good thing. Regards, B. We agree that common sense should apply. It assumes what is common for one is common for all... which is usually an arrogant assumption. From the perspective of the rest of the world, there is a paucity of common sense at the Copenhagen Zoo. As is the case with many intellectuals, you assert the project is prima facie desirable though you keep at arms length the factors common sense keeps abreast. For instance, you do not exist in a vacuum. Vacuums are ideal for establishing the control but deadly to mammals, including zoo owners. Failing to appreciate the forces around you is a failure to use common sense. As I said in my outreach to you, attempting to get all of us to see it your way would not succeed. Addressing me as if dealing with a recalcitrant child is a losing strategy. Regards, C. Ah, so you admit that legislation to force the EAZA and your zoo to cease expedient euthanasia is required? And to establish protocols which will require a comprehensive and responsive action in line with the values of your patrons once and future, particularly when concerns are brought to the Zoos attention? Very good. Regards, D. A simple no would have sufficed. Regards, Please vote with your Likes and comments. Ill happily send the high vote winner to his little email trough. Depending on any subsequent reply from him, I may mark it Spam or we can keep going until he gives up in disgust and retires to his study where he can taxidermy his grandchildren without interruption. Go.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 22:06:25 +0000
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