This is a follow up to the previous post dealing with the ethical problems of animal rescue.
The other day while in Bitung, Bethany saw at the roadside a man with a dancing monkey on a chain. She phoned Simon the Centre manager and he told her to contact the police.
The monkey was a long-tailed macaque, and as it is not an endangered species, and animal welfare laws are very lax here, the man was doing nothing illegal. Althought he is supposed to have documents detailing the origins of the animal.
But poor illiterate people who make their living from dancing monkeys hardly ever do. So, just like Al Capone, they got him on the paperwork, and the monkey was confiscated. It's teeth were in a bad way so it got a health check and dental work ,and will, sometime in the future, be shipped to Jakarta to live in an environmental awareness park.
The cost of saving the monkey was paid for by AJ, a curious volunteeer. AJ is in his 40s, and admits to having been involved in the illegal wildlife trade and spending some time in prison. He says he now regrets his past and wants to make up for it. Who am I to doubt that? Whatever the case he has lots of money, and though a volunteer does not join in the volunteer day to day work.
Perhaps he is helping by providing information about the wildlife trade.
He says he now makes his money trading oil in Dubai but I am not convinced.
While we were drinking cofffee outside AJ asked one of the staff about the cost of sponsoring the monkey. After hearing the sum named I asked the mischievous question, 'Isn't that more than the Monkey Man would earn in a year?' There was a very slight awkward pause.
I think everyone is aware that there are difficult ethical questions but because feelings run high on the topic of the animal welfare they are mostly avoided: like politics and religion at the dinner table
But I find the question interesting and cannot help bringing it up from time to time just to see the reaction.
What about dog and cat rescue in places like Calcutta and cities where there is some of the worst poverty in the world?
Cats or babies, Jill? Is it OK to do both in a situation like that?
My solution to the monkey problem.
I think it would have been best to ignore it. Or give it a free health check and return it to the Dancing Monkey Man with instructions on the best way to care for it. Or, if it has to be confiscated, then humanely kill it. The second option is the one I would choose first.
After all, Simon is thinking of releasing some of our beautiful, gentle meltyourheart-big-eyed deer in Komodo National Park to become dragon food!
The other day while in Bitung, Bethany saw at the roadside a man with a dancing monkey on a chain. She phoned Simon the Centre manager and he told her to contact the police.
The monkey was a long-tailed macaque, and as it is not an endangered species, and animal welfare laws are very lax here, the man was doing nothing illegal. Althought he is supposed to have documents detailing the origins of the animal.
But poor illiterate people who make their living from dancing monkeys hardly ever do. So, just like Al Capone, they got him on the paperwork, and the monkey was confiscated. It's teeth were in a bad way so it got a health check and dental work ,and will, sometime in the future, be shipped to Jakarta to live in an environmental awareness park.
The cost of saving the monkey was paid for by AJ, a curious volunteeer. AJ is in his 40s, and admits to having been involved in the illegal wildlife trade and spending some time in prison. He says he now regrets his past and wants to make up for it. Who am I to doubt that? Whatever the case he has lots of money, and though a volunteer does not join in the volunteer day to day work.
Perhaps he is helping by providing information about the wildlife trade.
He says he now makes his money trading oil in Dubai but I am not convinced.
While we were drinking cofffee outside AJ asked one of the staff about the cost of sponsoring the monkey. After hearing the sum named I asked the mischievous question, 'Isn't that more than the Monkey Man would earn in a year?' There was a very slight awkward pause.
I think everyone is aware that there are difficult ethical questions but because feelings run high on the topic of the animal welfare they are mostly avoided: like politics and religion at the dinner table
But I find the question interesting and cannot help bringing it up from time to time just to see the reaction.
What about dog and cat rescue in places like Calcutta and cities where there is some of the worst poverty in the world?
Cats or babies, Jill? Is it OK to do both in a situation like that?
My solution to the monkey problem.
I think it would have been best to ignore it. Or give it a free health check and return it to the Dancing Monkey Man with instructions on the best way to care for it. Or, if it has to be confiscated, then humanely kill it. The second option is the one I would choose first.
After all, Simon is thinking of releasing some of our beautiful, gentle meltyourheart-big-eyed deer in Komodo National Park to become dragon food!
PS. Would the song Simon Smith and his Dancing Bear be acceptable in 2014?