"Cruella
De Vill, Cruella De Vill, if she does not scare you no evil thing will, Cruella
Cruella De Vill" Cruella De Vill is
one of the most nefarious villains in cartoon history, but why? What makes
Cruella De Vill such a terrible woman, what makes her have such a negative
connotation? Simple, her want to skin
innocent animals for their fur. Many people can agree that they did not cheer
Cruella on, they wanted her stopped, they did not want her to kill the
Dalmatians. Yet, in real life, many animals, for example tigers, leopards, and
cheetahs are being killed for their precious fur. Not only are animals being
killed for their furs, but also for their horns, or for their fins. Stricter
laws need to be enforced to prevent poachers from claiming another life. Sometimes,
the animals are not killed directly, but taken from their habitats to be sold
as exotic pets.
Animals cannot speak for themselves, they cannot protest
being taken from their homes and shipped across the ocean, where in fact two
thirds of them die. I understand that some people may say that animal skins are
beautiful and portray a wealthy status; however that is both selfish and
insensitive reasoning. Humans do not have the right to put themselves above
animals. Something poachers do not realize is that killing off even just one
species has an everlasting effect on the whole ecosystem. Taking one species away, takes the food source away from a
different species, leading to the destruction of a whole habitat. Poachers and
illegal trading have led to the extinction of more than million species, and
yet they have not been stopped. Many organized crime groups have even switched
to illegal trading of animals because of the high wages and the low risk of
getting caught. Even when caught, they face a small fine.
Compared to killing animals for their skin, selling them as
pets seems humane and reasonable; however, many animals die on the journey to
wherever they are being sold. They can die from insufficient food or the
extreme stress and trauma they feel from being captured and ripped away from
their homes. For every live animal captured and then sold in pet market, 50
others are killed from the journey. Keeping an exotic pet is ethically wrong
and unjust. It is not fair to the animal to be kidnapped and snatched from
their native land to serve the mere purpose of fulfilling selfish wants. In
fact, some people do not realize that some exotic pets are actually dangerous.
Keeping an exotic pet bird doubles the chances of developing lung cancer. The
most important weapon that can be employed against illegal animal trading is
becoming informed. Once people were to learn all the negative side effects that
killing animals for trade brings, their mindset may begin to change. They can
talk to their friends, and make them too realize how terrible animal trading
is, and help gain their support for stricter laws. If stricter laws were
enforced, the number of poachers would decrease substantially. A small fine is
not enough to stop people from selling exotic animals, a harsh punishment needs
to be employed to prevent anyone from wanting to harm another vulnerable animal
again.
The next time you watch 101 Dalmatians, remember the
sympathy you feel for the puppies, remember the gut wrenching feeling of them
almost getting caught, and most importantly, remember the relief you feel when
they are safe.
Ehrenberg, R. (2008, Nov 08). Poaching's long reach threatens elephants anew. Science News, 174, 5-6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/197452810?accountid=45237
Herro, A. (2008, Demand for exotic creatures widespread. World Watch, 21, 7-7. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/230020931?accountid=45237
Mark, C. S., & Jane, S. S. (1997). The economics of saving endangered species: A teaching activity. Social Education, 61(6), 334-336. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/210631924?accountid=45237
I agree with you that many animal species need to be preserved. Many people participate in illegal activities, poaching and trade, as you've mentioned, without thinking much of the consequences. Nature is piled up like a huge pyramid. With one species wiped out, a whole domino effect may occur. Animals are just as human as we are. They possess a certain intrinsic value that makes them just as important and able to live on this earth as we humans are.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you because I think it's a complete shame that exotic, and some even endangered, animals and species are dying out there not because of some worldwide epidemic or natural disaster, but because humans are killing themselves for their beauty. Of course when I was young, I dreamed of having a cheetah or one of those huge cats as a pet because they were just that beautiful, but then I grew up. People who still have those desires, are considered by me, to be completely immature and selfish because they are valuing themselves over the safety of gorgeous creatures such as them.
ReplyDeleteI definetely agree with you. There are so many species that need protecting and there aren't many people that seem to be willing to save them. Without these animals, who knows what could happen. We need to preserve what we have on Earth now before it's too late.
ReplyDeleteNice, engaging hook and good organization. Cite details from your article and add more. Also, edit for grammar - especially run-ons and comma errors.
ReplyDelete