Pets being slaughtered in meat-starved Zimbabwe
 

More sad news from Zimbabwe.

- Pets slaughtered, record numbers abandoned because owners can't feed them
- Zimbabwe's economic meltdown: Inflation of more than 7,600 percent
-Animal rights activist called situation "too ghastly for words"
- Dog meat sold from back of truck; people afraid to speak out

:'(

http://tinyurl.com/36yo7l

what desparation

are yousad for the pets or the people or both?

Beside the desperate situation in Zim, where is the difference in eating cattle, pigs, poultry - or dogs? It's quite common in some parts of Asia.

both
For now and for quite a while to come.

As a vegetarian, I don't eat pets or poultry, but a difference would be that the people slaughtering the pets had never considered them to be food. To eat your pet is a last resort. It indicates to me that the people of Zimbabwe's ability to even survive is in question.

But the question of whether we see animals as companions or as beasts to slaughtered is a good one. One man's pot bellied pig pet is another's pork roast.

When I was in Mongolia, I asked what some of the horses were named. I was told that they did not name their horses because eventually when they became old they would be eaten. It is harder to eat animals that have been named.

The pet slaughter is just one more tragedy in this country that had so much promise just a short time ago.

<i>The pet slaughter is just one more tragedy in this country that had so much promise just a short time ago. </i>

Seems like atravelynn is the only one who gets the real point of the article.
Thank you.

It's a shame what is happening in Zimbabwe to people and animals, both wild and domestic.

I will be on a 4-week safari in Zim next month. So hopefully my tourist dollars will help some of those people to survive. And I will even eat dog meat if nothing else is available in camp.

Where are all those tourists who'd visited the country in earlier times, and avoiding it now completely? They are also reason of this economic meltdown.

Thanks Divewop for theexplanation. and yes it is horrible all around,

divewop,
Forgive me, but I can't even open the link. I do however get the premise of what's going on in Zimb. in order for this to happen.
Very heartbreaking and tragic. All because of so many bad decisions.
I will now go hug my pets and savor my living conditions.

Nyama - Mugabe and his kleptocracy is the reason Zimbabwe is melting down. Don't blame tourists who've decided not to give him any of their money.

Favor, I will tell it to the operators who still, beside all difficulties, support the opposition. I'm sure they have a deep understanding and appreciate your opinion.

Very sad. Thanks for telling us about this. Every day, it seems Zimbabweans must sacrifice more and more of their former lives.
There is a difference between livestock and a pet. Pets are often members of the family. So this really is a sad story, for both pets and the humans who love them. Remember the grief-stricken folks who were separated from their pets during Hurricane Katrina?
Especially when life is at its lowest, the unconditional love of a family pet can be very comforting.
What can we do to help the people of Zimbabwe? I have written to my two state senators and to my state representative, urging them to get tougher on Zimbabwe and urging them to see that food aid still gets to its people. I have also written to President Bush. I have also written to newspapers and television stations, asking that they cover what is going on in Zimbabwe. In some cases, they have responded.
Will these small efforts help? Who knows? It's got to be better than doing nothing.
I recently contacted a journalist covering Zimbabwe for one of the major newspapers and he felt that tourism did help the people of Zimbabwe's major tourist areas, such as Victoria Falls. He wrote that he makes sure to &quot;pay or tip people personally -- and generously -- so that I know that the benefit of my money is going as much as possible directly to them.&quot;
Anyhow, thanks again for the info.

Nyama - I'm sure the operators don't give two hoots what I think. I'm only pointing out your misplaced blame.

You can make a compelling argument that if people quit going to Zim two years ago, the opposition might have gotten more traction faster - before all the intervening damage to wildlife and institutions, all the food gone, and people so desperate as to eat their pets.

To blame those who went to Zim or those who didn't is really to argue about appropriate tactics - the reason for the battle in the first place is Mugabe. I think you lose sight of that when you dump on those who haven't returned.

Favor, tourism in Zimbabwe has dropped significantly since 2000, and this missing foreign currency also effects the economy. Simple facts. It's not the main reason for the current situation, and I didn't say that, but it also plays a role in this meltdown.

Just saying &quot;I don't go to Zim because I don't want to support ZANU and Mugabe&quot; is a little too simple, isn't it? Yes, one hurts him and his supporters, but at the same time one also hurts all the people who fight him - Zimbabwe isn't only Mugabe and ZANU activists.

Yes, I blame tourists. I blame those who are saying &quot;it's too dangerous&quot;, at the same time not even knowing where the 'hot spots' in the country are. I blame those who argue &quot;all remaining operators in Zim are supporters of ZANU&quot; and at the same time have no problem with booking a safari in a neighbouring country with exactly one of those 'bad' operators. I blame those who moan about the fate of conservation and the wildlife and don't even spend a thought where the salaries of park and conservancy staffs are coming from.

I don't blame all of them. Some of them have good reasons, put a lot of thoughts into their decision - and I respect this, even if their 'tactics' might be different.

But many travellers just want to have a good time. &quot;What a wonderful country, and all these nice people!&quot; But woe, if this country turns into a somewhat 'problematic' destination. &quot;No, thank you. Next country, please.&quot; A very egoistic and parasitic behaviour, and one of the aspects of international tourism that I really don't like. Zimbabwe is a drastic example of this behaviour, but you can find this all over the world. So please don't tell me, that I shouldn't blame tourists.

I'm with you on this one, Walter! You are 100% right.

Nyama - Travelers are parasites for going where they want to go based on their own opinions?

Comrade Nyama you're rehabilitation is complete! Please to set up quickly as possible, committee to plan appropriate social vacation experiences for the masses. ;-)

Favor, the problem is often on what these opinions are based.

Well, I guess Comrade Nyama has already too much other dates...