(Warning: The pictures shown are graphic and can be disturbing.)
The GuZoo Animal "Sanctuary" in Three Hills, Alberta:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=636678&id=563805693&fbid=10150443011925694
This was my face:
For a split second I thought this was some really tasteless, awful joke. Then I kept flipping through all of these pictures of blatant animal abuse and neglect. The pictures of the sad little piggy hiding under a heat lamp with sagging skin, and especially the bloodied goat made me finally end up like this:
I don't rage often, but I sure felt enraged looking at all of these photos. Then of course I calmed down enough to think "Well, maybe it's a bad season?" I know there is no excuse for animal abuse and poor living conditions, but maybe the owners were doing all they could with limited resources. Maybe they needed help? So I hopped over to Google to research the GuZoo.
And I *facedesked*
Allow me to share with you what I found. Apparently originally this establishment was a fur farm, that in and of itself is a little dis-consoling. It does explain how he has the ability to find these exotic animals though. So I kept plugging along and I came to ZooCheck. And Lo, my rage grew with Awesome Fury.
This is a report from 2007 listing the infractions that the Guzoo has and its need to come up to code. Okay, so its a repeat offense.
Well, then I found more.
That is just some of what came up. I was shocked, horrified and appalled by this obviously neglectful attitude towards moving up standards. They are continually repeating offence and obviously have no intention of bettering their facility. Even when they do reform it, they reform to the bare minimum standard. Evidently, through progressive evidence throughout the years, these people will not change their ways and this years review means nothing to them; other than another hurtle to making their money.
So this issue has been hitting the news. The Calgary Herald, CBC, GlobalTV. People are trying to make known what is going on and stop it. I'm not what you would call "an animal rights activist" but I do love animals. I also think that animals deserve to be treated better and need love and nourishment, which these people obviously don't give. I think we need to crack down on people like this and make an example. If a criminal kept repeating an offense we don't slap them on the wrist or keep them a meager fine. So why are they getting away with it? Probably due to what many in the government and this "zoo" establishment think is lack of interest. There seems to be a thought that is very common that people who get heated about these issues are simply activists, and that at the next crisis their attention will be diverted elsewhere. However, I think this time they may find that it's not the "activist" stereotype they are facing, but rather a lot of people who are concerned and enraged by this continual charade of "animal protection" in this "lovely zoo facility".
So I support the effort to see this place meet its end. I think we need to do it with a measure of dignity and not sink to a bickering and mob-mentalities level.
Although, I will admit that it is hard when the owner himself is saying things such as this:
"These kinds of people don't realize, by trying to stop what I'm doing, all they are doing is depriving some … child or adult … of enjoying themselves," - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/03/29/calgary-guzoo-animal-farm-online-complaints.htmlOr this:
“They may not have had water at that moment,” said Gustafson, admitting some animals’ “old water dishes” have sat covered in feces in cages since last fall. -http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/local/article/816712--disgusting-roadside-zoo-under-reviewBut especially, this:
Gustafson says if he is forced to give up his animals, they will never go anywhere else.
"That lion is worth $10,000 to taxidermy, and if that's what these people want -- that's what they'll get," he said. - http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110328/CGY_guzoo_investigation_110328/20110328/?hub=CalgaryHome
-_-
Really? Just.. really? Like.. what.. How could you...
You sir, deserve the award of OUTSTANDING DOUCHERY!
I read a good comment somewhere that someone said though stating that "he's basically holding a gun to the animals heads. If those were people, we would call that extortion."
Touche.
This man makes me very, very angry. Well, it did used to be a fur farm. Guess he'll just go back to that if he can't get his way. Oh, and he says he wuvs his furry wittle animals soooo much.
>.>
ARGH!
Please Alberta government and judicial systems, please give us swift justice. Is that too much to ask for? I think not. Don't turn a blind eye, again.
>.<
Okay.. I'm still raging after writing this all out. I know it's a super depressing an upsetting topic so here, something to make us all feel a tad better:
Now let's get out there and do something about this people!xoxo
ETA: Please enjoy a small vindication, and then all hell breaks lose and this guy is seriously one heck of a nut job.
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