Boycott Animal Planet? I think I shall.

[Syn]

One of the members over on Pangea (who is also the leader of their local Herpetological Society -- Sarah @ http://lunargecko.net/, you may know her as Lunar Gecko) recently received a very... interesting email from someone who does stories on Animal Planet.

Give it a read. It may have you fuming.

I got this in my email box today...

Hello Central Oregon Herpetological Society,

I am a researcher with the show, Confessions: Animal Hoarders on Animal Planet. If you are not familiar with the show, here's the premise:
We try to work with family members, neighbors, friends, psychologists, social workers, etc. to help when people are in a situation where their homes have so many animals that they can't provide proper care, and that their own lives are being jeopardized (ie: alienation from human companions).
In our first season, we had a series of successes helping people in these, "hoarding" situations--managing to get things under control before the situation deteriorated into one deemed to be criminal abuse.
We are looking for all different animals (including reptiles), and different kinds of people who might be in these situations.
I am in the process of contacting animal welfare situations across the US and Canada, seeking assistance in finding these people. We are hoping that organizations will post a link on their websites that will lead people to us.
The link might look like this:

Do you have an animal hoarder in your life? Maybe we can help.
(hypertext link to: http://www.animalhoardingproject.com.../view.php?id=1 )

Or, if you are approached by people who might be in a position of concern about a friend or relatives hoarding habits... maybe you could pass along our link.

Please let me know if you might be interested in helping out.
Thanks,

Meribeth Deen

this is what I sent back...

Thank you for the link but I and many other members of my group boycott the animal planet channel. We feel that most of the newer programs are slanted towards the extremest groups such as PETA and HSUS, who in our belief, are not 'pet lovers' but animal rights extremists who believe their way is the only way. If you are not aware they are trying to push legislation through that will end the keeping of exotic pets and our hobby. Try airing some shows that not only show the bad keepers/breeders but also the good ones and maybe change our minds.

Thank you for your time.

her email is [email protected] if you want to send this researcher a letter. She did ask me to pass on the info... now didn't she. ;D

If you do decide to contact this woman, please know that you may be representing the whole reptile community when you do. PLEASE be kind and courteous with your reply, even if you are angry.

However, if you do decide to send her an email, please post it here. It could serve as encouragement for others to follow in your steps and stand up for the herp society.

We are NOT hoarders!

 

[Olimpia]

Wow. Unfortunately, it doesn't surprise me. It's much weirder for you to have 10 snakes than 10 cats.

I love the reply though. Completely true.

 

[Syn]

I thought her reply was worded very well.

 

[Dsignrguy]

I just sent her Ryans address.

 

[Manik6]

lol! dsignrguy is with peta. lol! na but yeah keeping reptiles is a whole different thing, they are always in some sort of enclosure and yes there are the occasional escapee but its no worse than when they let a murderer or rapist serve their time in the slammer and release them. some ppl need to start focusing on bigger issues than our extended parts of our families. (pets) as far as boycotting animal im not so sure, i love animals, but as far as referring anyone to that show pssh good luck. and by pssh i didnt mean u "pssh". ha!!!

 

[Syn]

as far as boycotting animal im not so sure, i love animals

Read up on the issue a little more. PeTA and HSUS are for taking AWAY your animals and supported things like HR 669.
Animal Planet's newer programs are really "slanted" (as Sarah said) towards these organizations.

 

[Olimpia]

They really are. PETA's website says how much they hate pet ownership and how their perfect world senario would consist of no pets at all. And HSUS's site on reptiles is one big "don't get one or you'll kill it and you'll die too from diseases" rant. If they could make one giant law that bans all reptile pets everywhere, they would be in heaven. The HSUS also would like there not to be any pet ownership at all, but they're more subtle about it most of the time.



On a side note (mainly because I just saw it) the Colbert Report did a special for returning soldiers a couple days ago, and had Joe Biden come on to hand out "good all american food" hotdogs to the soldiers in the audience. And an upset PETA criticized Biden for not having handed out veggie dogs. Come on, people, seriously? Where are the priorities for these organizations? Go save some dolphins and stop doing things like criticizing the VP for giving food to veterans, that only lessens your credibility. Gah.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

I just sent her Ryans address.

HAHAHAHAA I knew that was coming.

 

[elrojo]

PeTA and HSUS do NOT want us owning pets or "having" animals for any purpose. Even research. And as a group, they support even terrorism to stop it.

Quotes from Ingrid Newkirk, founder and president of PeTA:

"For one thing, we would no longer allow breeding… as the surplus of cats and dogs declined, eventually companion animals would be phased out…We would no longer allow…pet shops” (Harper’s Magazine, Aug 1988)

"Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation." (Washingtonian Magazine, Aug. 1986)

Even if animal tests produced a cure for AIDS, "We'd be against it." (Vogue, Sept, 1989)

And to back up the support of terrorism:
Alex Pacheco, chairman of PETA, New York Times interview:

"Arson, property destruction, burglary and theft are 'acceptable crimes' when used for the animal cause."

 

[kongchi]

Unfortunately that's what ALL tv shows are about, ratings and money. Anything to make a dollar huh? including marketing on people who love things, it's called a hobby for a reason. Hmm, I wonder when that show, "Scrapbook and Yarn hoarding" will come out.

 

[Syn]

I wonder if anyone else has decided to stop watching AP besides me.

 

[summoner12]

lol sabrina... google "Meribeth Deen animal planet"

 

[Syn]

What are you trying to get at?

She supposedly quit, by the way... and she had said so in an email to someone who had emailed her and posted the reply on Pangea.

 

[moviemanmania]

I think animal planet is stepping in a pile of hot sh** with this show's concept. I think they are loosing focus of why people actually watch animal planet in the first place and that is because THEY LOVE ANIMALS and are fascinated by them.

Generally, I don't think the show has enough appeal to actually make it self into anything big and if it does go into production, I don't see it lasting long.

How many 'hoarding animal freaks" do you know out there? Any animal lovers I know take AMAZING care of their animals are aren't abusive in any way. Certainly not "criminally abusive" like they are searching for. I see a flop with this show; they won't have enough material to keep it going!

So if PETA had it's way, would they take a blind man's seeing eye dog from him/her?

 

[summoner12]

So if PETA had it's way, would they take a blind man's seeing eye dog from him/her?

Yes they would. Because they are extremists.

I don't think it will go anywhere.... But I thought I saw ads for it already.

Sabrina, did you google what I quoted? The point is that this thread showed up number one on the page

 

[WinstonChrchll]

The show is going to last for sole reason that people love seeing disaster stories. However, I think the show isn't helping their standing with the people that really do love animal planet. I genuinely like some of their shows and documentaries.
Guess I'll be back to discovery channel.

 

[Syn]

Oh, yes I had seen it was number one on the page. How funny.