Zoos: Good or Bad?

[JuanHamm]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

[Jorge]

I admit to being a total hypocrite about this. I'm against zoos in principle but always enjoy myself when I go to one. But that's because of my sexual attraction towards animals

[JuanHamm]

I admit to being a total hypocrite about this. I'm against zoos in principle but always enjoy myself when I go to one. But that's because of my sexual attraction towards animals

Which animals are sexiest?

[tree_]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

[JuanHamm]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

Brother, you're all over the place here.

I can't defend eating meat. It's awful, but I'd rather be a hypocrite than a vegetarian.

[tree_]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

Brother, you're all over the place here.

I can't defend eating meat. It's awful, but I'd rather be a hypocrite than a vegetarian.

The animals in american zoos are treated well and are relatively happy, prove me wrong

[spike]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

Not to mention the metaphorical cages we all choose to live in day after day.

[tree_]

yeah thanks spike. zoo animals are probably happier than most people

[JuanHamm]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

Brother, you're all over the place here.

I can't defend eating meat. It's awful, but I'd rather be a hypocrite than a vegetarian.

The animals in american zoos are treated well and are relatively happy, prove me wrong

I'm sure a lot of people said the same thing about slaves.

[tree_]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

Brother, you're all over the place here.

I can't defend eating meat. It's awful, but I'd rather be a hypocrite than a vegetarian.

The animals in american zoos are treated well and are relatively happy, prove me wrong

I'm sure a lot of people said the same thing about slaves.

the animals aren't forced to do anything and they're treated well.. it's not like they're out there picking cotton

[Bi_3]

I would eat a tiger burger

[JuanHamm]

I ate a kangaroo burger. It was ok.

[spike]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

Brother, you're all over the place here.

I can't defend eating meat. It's awful, but I'd rather be a hypocrite than a vegetarian.

The animals in american zoos are treated well and are relatively happy, prove me wrong

I'm sure a lot of people said the same thing about slaves.

the animals aren't forced to do anything and they're treated well.. it's not like they're out there picking cotton

So minus the forced labor part, you’re cool with human slavery?

[tree_]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

Brother, you're all over the place here.

I can't defend eating meat. It's awful, but I'd rather be a hypocrite than a vegetarian.

The animals in american zoos are treated well and are relatively happy, prove me wrong

I'm sure a lot of people said the same thing about slaves.

the animals aren't forced to do anything and they're treated well.. it's not like they're out there picking cotton

So minus the forced labor part, you’re cool with human slavery?

Technically you could say forcing your children to stay in your home and educate them against their will is slavery or
at least captivity, when we know it's for their own good. I guess there is good and bad slavery.

[wease]

It's funny to me that you guys are against zoos keeping pets but have your very own personal zoos, with cats and dogs and such. Why not just let them run free in the wild too?

It would be chaos. For better or worse cats and dogs exist and the best we can do is give them a good place to live.

you can apply that reasoning to all animals in zoos too

you don't think the jungle is chaos?

The animals in a jungle have coevolved in a somewhat harmonious way. Dumping millions of dogs and cats into the ecosystem would be a disaster.

that's bullshit and you know it

all this feigning reverence for "all the poor animals" and ya'll go out and eat a cheeseburger or chicken sandwich and don't mind at all all the cows and chickens in captivity before you actually eat them. At least we're not eating the zoo animals

Brother, you're all over the place here.

I can't defend eating meat. It's awful, but I'd rather be a hypocrite than a vegetarian.

The animals in american zoos are treated well and are relatively happy, prove me wrong

I'm sure a lot of people said the same thing about slaves.

the animals aren't forced to do anything and they're treated well.. it's not like they're out there picking cotton

So minus the forced labor part, you’re cool with human slavery?

Technically you could say forcing your children to stay in your home and educate them against their will is slavery or
at least captivity, when we know it's for their own good. I guess there is good and bad slavery.

C’mon. Who here is really all that surprised that tree_ would be pro-slavery?

[Jorge]

Technically you could say forcing your children to stay in your home and educate them against their will is slavery or
at least captivity, when we know it's for their own good. I guess there is good and bad slavery.

Holy shit lol

[spike]

breathtaking

[B]

I'm pretty sure a lot of the animals (larger mammals especially) suffer serious mental deterioration due to boredom and poor socialization. It's a constant battle for zoos to fight against that.
I think AZA zoos limit themselves to rescues, transfers from other zoos, and animals bred in capacity, so that they're not pulling animals out of the wild, but I still find that problematic.

I am still going to zoos and aquariums with my kids a lot, but I've stopped kidding myself that I'm benefiting the animals (wild and/or in captivity) in any way, and I DEFINITELY limit myself to AZA zoos. That roadside, Tiger King shit shouldn't exist.

[B]

Oh, and if tree were allowed to kidnap people and educate them properly for their own good, he totally would.

[The Argonaut]

Zoos: bad. Also: boring, depressing