Guest guest Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 " If elephants carrying riders in any sort of activity always threw them, or often threw them, one could make an argument that this showed displeasure with the activity. " In India, the muncipal authorities who I consider as one of the most obnoxious living beings alive also do enough to put a speed breaker at a location when someone is run over by a vehicle. You yourself claimed yesterday that there have hardly been significant number of elephant polo matches, and with just these many, so many incident pre, in and post match having occured, you are telling me that it means nothing....... " Dogs bite, cats scratch, donkeys kick, and cattle sometimes gore a person--but these are all quite infrequent events compared with the many thousands of times a day each of these animals complies with human wishes. " " COMPLIES WITH *HUMAN WISHES* " ??? thats the bullet you used to shoot your own foot! You are first of all comparing a list of domestic animals (domestic in the true sense) and making the fatal mistake of mentioning that what ever they were having to do was something the human wanted them to do...not what they (the animals) wanted to do. Also I think you need a class to understand how advanced the brain of an elephant is as compared to that of a dog or a donkey is and therefore a relative comparison is absurd? " We know now that domesticated elephants enjoy many of the other recreational activities enjoyed by humans. Making paintings is now a very well-known example. " Well I dont want to sound negative on everything, but then in most cases the owner has trained the elephant in doing so to gain publicity and money. Well may be this could be a better way of earning money for people like.... than getting the elephants to play polo; presuming the elephants dont 'draw' under the fear of an ankush. " A similar argument applies to dog sled racing. Those who have never enjoyed running for long distances in bitter northern winters, which I did for a decade in Quebec as a sponsored marathoner and ultramarathoner, may never understand the appeal of it to either human or beast. Those who have never run long distances through snow and ice with huskies, as I have, may never understand that the fundamental problem is not getting them to run, but rather getting them to stop. When they do stop, an intelligent person knows it is time to stop racing, " Hunters who kill for pleasure at a weekend get-away have similar excuses and justifications. " When they do stop, an intelligent person knows it is time to stop racing " When they stop *a fool *thinks he just needs to stop the race, an intelligent guy would understand that he is forcing the dogs/ wolves to do something they probably did not want to do at that point of time and would never go back every year to participate in a sport like that. You are comparing a wolf running in the wild to running as an engine for your sledge? Some people need help! Sir, can you please tell me what incentives you are getting in trying to prove that elephant polo is something acceptable?Dont you see that if we do not nip this at the bud, it opens a whole new avenue for elephant trade and related wildlife crimes. It is a belief that early Man took the forbidden fruit...thats the attitude of humans.... more people will be drawn towards this sport, the more competitive it will get, the more elephants being trained (caught) exclusively for this and the cycle of destruction will continue at an exponential pace. You see how hard, rather next to impossible it is to have elephants off temple festivals in Kerala. That is because its become a part of the culture, the way of life over there! So why would you want a sport, as you yourself have claimed, new to most places, havnig a small audience...why would you not want to curtail its growth and acknowledge that this is probably the new breeding ground for the elephant's paul bearers, which if there is a united opposition, could be done away with? Unlike a few irrelevant names you referred in your email yesterday who are 'second' to I dont know whom, let me tell you that the Gods in the field of elephants, like Dr. Sheldrick and others echo my concerns for my beloved captive friends and feel that they this is something that needs to be done away with! Pablo. On 10 Apr 2007 20:40:56 -0700, Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl wrote: > > >How many mahouts and players do the elephants have to toss up to make > >one understand that they do not like being made to play polo. > > If elephants carrying riders in any sort of activity always > threw them, or often threw them, one could make an argument that > this showed displeasure with the activity. > > When it happens very rarely, it signifies nothing more than > that accidents happen. Horses also throw their riders, but usually > when spooked by a third party or event, not as result of anything > the rider did. > > Dogs bite, cats scratch, donkeys kick, and cattle > sometimes gore a person--but these are all quite infrequent events > compared with the many thousands of times a day each of these animals > complies with human wishes. > > Accidents involving dogs occur at a much greater frequency > than accidents involving all other mammals combined: 4.8 million > medically treated dog bites per year in the U.S. alone. > > Does this mean dogs do not usually enjoy doing things with humans? > > Leave your dog home the next time you go for a walk, and you > will know the answer. > > We know now that domesticated elephants enjoy many of the > other recreational activities enjoyed by humans. Making paintings is > now a very well-known example. To suppose that they do not enjoy > sports seems to me to be a gross presumption on the part of people > who probably themselves do not enjoy sports. > > A similar argument applies to dog sled racing. Those who > have never enjoyed running for long distances in bitter northern > winters, which I did for a decade in Quebec as a sponsored > marathoner and ultramarathoner, may never understand the appeal of > it to either human or beast. > > Those who have never run long distances through snow and ice > with huskies, as I have, may never understand that the fundamental > problem is not getting them to run, but rather getting them to stop. > > When they do stop, an intelligent person knows it is time to > stop racing, and most sledders know this--but most dog teams can far > out-run the physical stamina of their humans, who are on foot > themselves for most of the uphill travel, and anywhere else that the > going is difficult. > > This year one Iditarod contestant did not respect his team's > decision to stop, after running an especially difficult stretch over > glare ice, and beat the dogs. He was barred from next year's race, > which means he will probably lose his sponsorship and his career as a > professional racer. > > -- > Merritt Clifton > Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE > P.O. Box 960 > Clinton, WA 98236 > > Telephone: 360-579-2505 > Fax: 360-579-2575 > E-mail: anmlpepl <anmlpepl%40whidbey.com> > Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org > > [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing > original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide, > founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the > decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations. > We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year; > for free sample, send address.] > > -- WOCON: http://groups.google.co.inwocon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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