Lions, Tigers, Bears on the Loose in Ohio (Madison: for sale, home)

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by raubre

These are not the issues at hand. We are talking about the dangers of keeping exotic animals which you choose to simply ignore because you are clouded by a sheriff who you don't agree with.

Fine I'll leave the children out of it. Would you going to handfeed a bear in your back yard?

You're exaggerating again.

There were no bears invading the backyards of Muskingum County. These animals had barely dispersed at all. And in the unlikely event that one of these bears would have roamed into someone's backyard, why would anyone be so foolish as to try to handfeed it?

I used to live in Wyoming and Colorado. I did not handfeed bears there in the rare occasions that I saw them - that's absurd. Just as I don't handfeed the coyotes and bucks that live near me here in Ohio. Heck, I wouldn't want to handfeed my friend's German shepherd, to tell you the truth. But when I lived in Wyoming, I did not mind living in proximity to bears; I did not mind having to keep trash in sealed bins; I did not mind raising food and trash at campsites; I did not mind keeping my cat indoors at all times (I keep the same cat indoors here in Ohio).

[PoppySead]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

I thought I was a dumbass? Now I'm a hypocrite too?

Keep 'em coming, chief.

Incidentally, you brought up the possibility that a tiger might eat a child in his yard () but you ignored the far more realistic dangers that I pointed out that children face every day in far greater numbers. I wonder, are you as concerned with such things as childhood obesity, texting while driving, highway safety, sexual predators who target children, unfair child labor, etc.?

Or are you just grandstanding on this issue?

You remind me of that guy who hung out with the bears in Alaska, talked to them and filmed them, told us how they were his family then they finally ate him and his girlfriend.
People like this often have a narrow view of the possibilities because their looney. They usually end up dead in most cases, go figure.

The "child" example comes up because they are naive, small, not usually aware of their surroundings and are easy prey, it's not to make everyone have more sympathy. Most dog attacks happen to children because of this. It's much more feared a kid would be attacked then an adult. But to put you at ease I'm sure adults entered the mind of everyone second, maybe a woman jogging? Oh and let us not forget a older person who can't run away. I'll throw those in for ya so it is well rounded.

Why don't you play the "endangered species" card again as a reason to put that town in danger and see how that flies. Every life is endangered in a town when a group of natures best preditors are scattered throughout the town while they wait for Tarzan to show up and collect them all and lead them back to jungle.

[raubre]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

, why would anyone be so foolish as to try to handfeed it?

Because they are supposedly not dangerous.

[3DogNight]

If being able to maintain rational thought in the face of an animal-related crisis, not creating wild scenarios to get my personal agenda across and approved, not screaming 'SHOOT IT ALL' in the face of all events and being unable to deviate from that plan, having the ability to comprehend that keeping a respectful distance from wild animals is necessary for anyone with just one lonely live brain cell (whether they are caged or not, there are domestic and there are wild animals, and being able to recognize a wild animal when I see it) makes me looney, well then I guess I may be looney too.

[ringwise]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Classy.

And yea, "if" is a great argument to make.

It's really unbelievable how all the shoot-first people always resort to the child example, as if these animals were suddenly unleashed in an elementary school cafeteria. You're using the most dramatic possible example to try to justify your position. People are maimed and killed every day on the interstates and highways in this country, yet children routinely ride in cars and buses on these same highways. Childhood obesity can be a killer, yet go into any McDonald's and you'll see kids pounding Big Macs that their parents just bought them. So, in one area it's fine to be ridiculously cautious and overreact with the slaughter of dozens of animals, but in other areas the risk is OK, huh?

Ringwise: There were grizzlies and black bears; I don't think there were any giraffes.

The reports I read said there were giraffes.

[lizzyst]

I'd like to send a letter of disapproval to the county or state offices that regulate animal preserves in the State of Ohio; also, to whomever supervises Sheriff Lutz to express outrage of his handling of this fiasco. Any help from Ohioans as to addresses, phone numbers?

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by PoppySead

You remind me of that guy who hung out with the bears in Alaska, talked to them and filmed them, told us how they were his family then they finally ate him and his girlfriend.
People like this often have a narrow view of the possibilities because their looney. They usually end up dead in most cases, go figure.

The "child" example comes up because they are naive, small, not usually aware of their surroundings and are easy prey, it's not to make everyone have more sympathy. Most dog attacks happen to children because of this. It's much more feared a kid would be attacked then an adult. But to put you at ease I'm sure adults entered the mind of everyone second, maybe a woman jogging? Oh and let us not forget a older person who can't run away. I'll throw those in for ya so it is well rounded.

Why don't you play the "endangered species" card again as a reason to put that town in danger and see how that flies. Every life is endangered in a town when a group of natures best preditors are scattered throughout the town while they wait for Tarzan to show up and collect them all and lead them back to jungle.

I'll agree with 3DogNight. If caring for animals, defending their interests in the face of overzealous cops and wanting extra protection for endangered species makes me looney, I guess I am.

Yes, I care about animals and the natural environment. I guarantee that future generations of people who aren't yet born wish more people today had similar care for this planet and its species.

[3DogNight]

Originally Posted by lizzyst

I'd like to send a letter of disapproval to the county or state offices that regulates animal preserves in the State of Ohio; also, to whomever supervises Sheriff Lutz to express outrage of his handling of this fiasco. Any help from Ohioans as to addresses, phone numbers?

That's going to take more than a few clicks.

I'm not an Ohioan and if you're not, you may have trouble getting anyone to listen to you if a vote is not at stake.

You may want to try researching which representative has blocked any effort to add restrictions on exotics in that state. Or you may want to research the namby-pamby nonsense that goes on behind the scenes like the banning of commerce of wild animals across state lines but not ownership of exotics in the state (how would they get there if not brought across state lines!? you may ask...well this is part of the game we call gooooberment! semantics games abound and when votes are at stake, the craftiest of writers are employed to write these bills!)

I wish you the best of luck though. I surmise there will be a host of knee-jerk bills being written by vote-hungry dirtbags as we speak. Let's see which ones actually make it onto the books and if they have any uhh....'teeth.'

[3DogNight]

Originally Posted by lizzyst

I'd like to send a letter of disapproval to the county or state offices that regulate animal preserves in the State of Ohio; also, to whomever supervises Sheriff Lutz to express outrage of his handling of this fiasco. Any help from Ohioans as to addresses, phone numbers?

I can offer you a suggestion as a non-Ohioan if you are not one also though: something I have employed when I am not a resident of a state that has decided that egregious behavior is not only tolerable but actively ignored...write as a potential vacationer or visitor or future guest of that state. Or if you are a past visitor, state how the recent behavior of local officials have made it an unappealing place to visit, or how threatened you feel for your personal safety when people as unbalanced as that Howard Hughes wannabe are permitted to 1. hoard guns (which were eventually seized for what reason I'm not sure) or 2. hoard large, dangerous, wild animals.

Oh, and cc the governor of the state. That usually gets their attention.

Just a thought.

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by lizzyst

I'd like to send a letter of disapproval to the county or state offices that regulate animal preserves in the State of Ohio; also, to whomever supervises Sheriff Lutz to express outrage of his handling of this fiasco. Any help from Ohioans as to addresses, phone numbers?

I applaud your efforts. This tragedy took place in Muskingum County, Ohio, the seat of which is Zanesville.

Muskingum County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Matt Lutz

Chamber of Commerce

Governor of Ohio, John R. Kasich > Home

I'll warn you now though: The current governor of Ohio, John Kasich, is the most crass, cold, uncaring politician that you'll find anywhere. I doubt he gave this tragedy two thoughts, other than how it will negatively reflect upon him. John Kasich listens only to wealthy business owners. I doubt you'll find much sympathy or even a receptive ear in his administration. Honestly, he can't be voted out of office soon enough.