Should zoos be illegal?

[Discuss]

Title.

 

[tMoon]

Zoos don't just pluck animals out of the wild and throw them in a cage. They often nurse sick animals back to health, or take care of animals that otherwise would not of made it in the wild.

/no

 

[Wonderland]

Zoos don't just pluck animals out of the wild and throw them in a cage. They often nurse sick animals back to health, or take care of animals that otherwise would not of made it in the wild.

/no

Animals kept in zoos are denied everything that makes their lives meaningful. Every aspect of their lives is controlled and manipulated. They have virtually no choice in what or when they eat, whom they mate with, or whom they share space with. They are housed in cages that don’t come close to resembling the jungles, savannahs, and forests that are their natural homes.

Instead of providing lifetime care, zoos routinely trade, lend, sell, barter, and warehouse animals they no longer want—despite knowing that many species form lasting bonds that are important to their long-term health and happiness. Removing animals from established social groups and forcing them to adjust repeatedly to new routines, different caretakers, and unfamiliar cagemates is disruptive and traumatic.

Do you still stand by that belief knowing this?

 

[Hamouze]

When I was in high school I had to write an entire speech on this thing for a national debate tournament. I was actually against the criminalization of zoos for two main reasons:
1. The economics behind them
2. The science behind them

I cba to look up all the statistics again but basically entire cities and hundreds of peoples in those cities rely economically on certain zoos. It comes down to human wellbeing vs. animal wellbeing and when it comes down to that human well being always wins.

The science part, a lot of zoos are being used as refugee habitats for animals, used to study the lifestyle of endangered animals to learn how to revitalize the population, and conduct secure, safe, and legal tests on the animals. Without the zoos there wouldn't be a lot of regulation on this stuff.

So if you look at a zoo in a rural shitty town that mistreats their $400 monkey, yeah it really sucks and I feel bad for the animals there. But that's not all zoos. When looked at holistically zoos are important for both humans and animals.

Do you still stand by that belief knowing this?

You can't seriously quote PETA and expect to be taken seriously.

 

[Arco]

Should be fine if they don't treat animals like shit ? Saving the in danger animal spices .

 

[Wonderland]

When I was in high school I had to write an entire speech on this thing for a national debate tournament. I was actually against the criminalization of zoos for two main reasons:
1. The economics behind them
2. The science behind them

I cba to look up all the statistics again but basically entire cities and hundreds of peoples in those cities rely economically on certain zoos. It comes down to human wellbeing vs. animal wellbeing and when it comes down to that human well being always wins.

The science part, a lot of zoos are being used as refugee habitats for animals, used to study the lifestyle of endangered animals to learn how to revitalize the population, and conduct secure, safe, and legal tests on the animals. Without the zoos there wouldn't be a lot of regulation on this stuff.

So if you look at a zoo in a rural shitty town that mistreats their $400 monkey, yeah it really sucks and I feel bad for the animals there. But that's not all zoos. When looked at holistically zoos are important for both humans and animals.




You can't seriously quote PETA and expect to be taken seriously.

Not sure if you're serious, but all those points are valid. Just because it's quoted from a polarizing source doesn't make it false . If you want to refute those points individually, by all means go for it.

 

[HotColdRush]

Don't see how anything like this could be seriously considered as long as millions of animals are raised in far worse conditions and then slaughtered for their flesh.

 

[Darkest Dream]

Don't see how anything like this could be seriously considered as long as millions of animals are raised in far worse conditions and then slaughtered for their flesh.

This.

I have no issue shooting an animal, hacking it to pieces, and then cooking its flesh. Most animals don't posses moral agency.

A zoo is nowhere near as barbaric.

 

[Emperor Nero]

Zoos have also been responsible for the resurgence of numerous species and maintaining dwindling species. Are there trade offs? Yes.

 

[Wonderland]

Most animals housed in zoos are not endangered, nor are they being prepared for release into natural habitats. In fact, it is nearly impossible to release captive-bred animals into the wild. A 1994 report by the World Society for the Protection of Animals showed that only 1,200 zoos out of 10,000 worldwide are registered for captive breeding and wildlife conservation. Only 2 percent of the world’s threatened or endangered species are registered in breeding programs. Those that are endangered may have their plight made worse by zoos’ focus on crowd appeal. In his book The Last Panda, George Schaller, the scientific director of the Bronx Zoo, says zoos are actually contributing to the near-extinction of giant pandas by constantly shuttling the animals from one zoo to another for display. Inbreeding is also a problem among captive populations.

I'm not trying to be sanctimonious. The animals we eat are domestic. It's not like the foods we eat are being plucked from jungles or savannahs with the purpose of rehabilitation. Comparing the two is comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Sonia]

Although there are many meaningful aspects of why they should be illegal, the penguins, panda's elephants, monkeys... how can you not want to see those animals?

They never seem to be upset, most Zoo's tend to keep the last species of animals alive etc, it would be the same for Sealife centers? What about those?

 

[Life]

I think they should be legal as long as they treat the animals good. For example, give them big enclosures, never hit them, and give them a lot of attention. (Certain animals only)

 

[Almond Joy]

Zoo should be legal as long they treat the animals good with care and keep them healthy.

 

[Mitsunobu]

That question lmfao.
Ofc no, people don't detain whole animals on Earth.

 

[Jack]

Gravedig