Grrrr

[yendi]

An entire family of meerkats was killed because A) their daughter (old enough to know better) climbed into a cage at the zoo, and B) the parents didn't want their daughter to get rabies shots (heaven forbid she learn a fucking lesson).

I had to delete what I'd say next, because I can't say anything about these parents that doesn't come out sounding like it could be an instigation to murder. Just un-fucking believable.

Comments

[magenta-girl.livejournal.com]

One day that brat is going to get bitten by something that's going to have rabies and won't her parents be sorry they didn't want their precious pumpkin to get a rabies shot... Or perhaps she will stick her hand into a cage with something that will bite her arm off.

I hate parents who don't think they need to raise their children.

[celticfeministw.livejournal.com]

Fucking hell.

*puts on smiting boots*

[creentmerveille.livejournal.com]

Pathetic.

[felisdemens.livejournal.com]

I hope that both the parents and their spawn get what's coming to them.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

A-fucking-men.

[thermidor.livejournal.com]

Mr.Choppy is not amused.

[brak55.livejournal.com]

Another case of supposed adults who should never have been issued a parenting license.

[lee-in-limbo.livejournal.com]

She must have been on top of the cavern. I don't remember anyone being on top of it back when I was there in 2001. Totally surprises me that anyone would let their kids up there. 4 feet? That's not right. I'm 5'4 and I seem to recall the enclosure was taller than me. It's been a while, but still, that just doesn't sound right.

So strange. And sad, too. I should dig out those photos I have and post them.

L o L,
dumbfounded

[i-descend.livejournal.com]

She climbed up on the little step they put in for kids to get a better look. Then she kept climbing, grabbed a decorative log, put it over the wall allowing one of the meerkats to climb up to her and bite her. Not only can I not believe her parent's didn't see this happening, but what about all the other parents?? That is one of the most popular exhibits. There had to be people there. I know disciplining other people's children is looked down on, but c'mon. When a kid is climbing into a zoo exhibit, fucking say something!

[lee-in-limbo.livejournal.com]

I am inclined to agree with you, and I find it hard to imagine that no one spoke up. My experiences with Minnesotans have always been of the vocally helpful sort. Not given to too much badgering and meddling, but still, more than willing to pipe in with an 'Oh, you shouldn't be up there, sweetie. Why don't you come down here with the rest of the children, okay? That's a good girl.'

L o L,
used to know some folks in MN

[i-descend.livejournal.com]

Or my favorite, the passive agressive response for when we want to call attention to bad parenting without actually calling someone out. "Sweetie, I'm not sure you should you be up there."

[lee-in-limbo.livejournal.com]

I've seen a little of that too. I'm fairly passive aggressive by nature, so the Minnesota Nice method actually suits me fine (though I've since adapted to the bold as brass NYC method as well). I'm one of those 'the eyebrows are all you get' kind of expressives at times, anyway.

That said, you do have to keep an eye on the sprogs, if for no other reason than so your child doesn't have meerkats summarily executed for protecting their turf.

L o L,
sighing

[mfree.livejournal.com]

They should publish these people's names. There's little so effective as public shaming.

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

In seven years, you'll see that gal and her parents on My Super Sweet 16(or whatever the equivalent is)...and she'll prob make some lame joke about meekrats dying for her...

[elionwyr.livejournal.com]

I just can't believe they didn't stop their kidlet from working so hard to get into the exhibit.

Then again...when I worked at the mini zoo, we had parents ask us why we didn't let kids go in with our wild, full-grown coyote.

"He's so friendly! And it would be a great photo op!"

Feh.

[jerel.livejournal.com]

And then maybe the kid could then get in the tiger enclosure, because all the kitties are sleeping... ::rolls eyes::

[elionwyr.livejournal.com]

Heh! That's damn close to what I said at the time, actually, which was, "If he was a ion, would you want your kid in there?"

Funny thing was, the parents thought the coyote was being cute and kid friendly because he was, in effect, showing hunting behavior that they thought was him wanting to play. Yeesh.

[phinnia.livejournal.com]

Despicable.
*seethes*

[marajs.livejournal.com]

"we had to protect the child"

no, you didn't. it's called "natural selection" and it means if you're stupid enough to climb 3 feet of rocks and reach over another 4 feet of glass to get at a wild animal and expect them to leave you alone when you're invading their home, you don't deserve to live.

I tend to imagine various zoo animals holding conversation on their side of the enclosures, about how incredibly moronic these "humans" are.

[redfishie.livejournal.com]

ohhh...you know it's horrible too because the kid isn't learning responsibility.

[losgunna.livejournal.com]

The parents should be shot for letting their child get that close. Why weren't they that close to the kid?

I notice that it doesn't say why the parent's didn't want the kid to have the shots. While I agree that the people should be shot, it should be mentioned somewhere that a small percentage of the world's population is indeed allergic to the rabies shots. As I happen to know somebody who is......

[amokk]

While I think it's a stupid thing to do, I don't see the point in wishing the child ill will. Kids do dumb things. That's why they're kids, and why parents are supposed to watch them and stop them from doing dumb things. That's the job of being a parent.

Now, wishing death to the parents for their continued stupidity? Absolutely fine with that.

[dwivian]

I'm with you -- the kid was going to climb up there. Why the parents LET it happen, I can't say.

I think, at the minimum, the parents need to pony up the costs of a meerkat family to replace the one they 'bought' by their inactions.

[amokk]

I have no information to go on so I can't say why they let it happen. Unfortunately, most people will err on the side of blatant stupidity, because, "I wouldn't let my kid do that."

But I really wish the story had more info on why they didn't get the kid the shot. If it was because of a known allergy, that's one thing, if it's because they just didn't want to pay for a shot or whatever, then that's a completely other story, and then they should have to make some sort of reparation for it.

[indigoleo.livejournal.com]

>__<

Maybe next time her parents could let her play in the lion exibit.
"Here, dear, go pet the nice kitties."

[sweinberg.livejournal.com]

I'd love to have heard the conversation that went on the the zoo office after the biting:

Zookeeper: "Well, the animals have been vaccinated for rabies, but that's not an absolute guarantee that they don't have rabies, so we recommend that your daughter gets some rabies shots ASAP."

Mommy: "What??!?? But... Rabies shots HURT! We love our daughter too much to let her get a series of injections!!"

Assistant zookeeper who takes care of the meerkats, under her breath: "So where the fuck were you when the little moron was climbing a rock wall designed to keep wild animals away from human fucking beings?"

Mommy: "I'm sorry, what?"

Assistant: "Nothing, sorry."

Zookeeper: "Yes, ahem. Like I said, there's virtually no chance your child has rabies, but state law dictates that she must get those shots, or... ahem."

Mommy: "Or what?"

Zookeeper: "Well, on the rare occasion that a person is allergic to the medication, we have to test the animal for rabies. And since we don't know which meerkat bit your daughter's arm, we'd have to test all five of the animals."

Mommy: "Ok, there you go! Test the animals! You're not giving my precious baby any injections! Oh my stars! Oh dearie me!"

(The assistant zookeeper quietly leaves the room, obviously choking a sob as she does so.)

Zookeeper: "Ma'am, in order to test these animals for rabies, they'll have to be killed. Three of them are newborns..."

Mommy: "Look, I promised my little snookums an ice cream cone because of those nasty little rodents. She's not getting the shots. So you guys do what you gotta do..."

Zookeeper: "You got it, you selfish moronic cunt."

Mommy: "What?"

Zookeeper: "Get the fuck out of my office before I toss you in alligator lagoon."

[melvh.livejournal.com]

Were I an administrator at the zoo, those parents would be receiving a bill for the cost of the meerkats, the vet fees, the lab fees, the cost of the new female meerkats, the expense of rebuilding the enclosure (parts and labor), and lost revenues for the time the enclosure is down for renovation.

And, of course, the court costs and lawyer fees since they'd eventually have to be sued for it.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm too pissed off about this even to be coherent.

[nishar.livejournal.com]

I hope they charge that family for the cost of doing the test and for buying and shipping in new meercats. A 100,000+ bill should change their habits.

[crystalrowan.livejournal.com]

I am so infuriated.

I DESPISE parents like this to the point that I want to beat the snot out of them when I see them exhibiting this kind of moronic behavior. What the HELL were they thinking???

GAH

[jmfunnyface.livejournal.com]

Disgusting.

[muse0fire.livejournal.com]

Grrr. That's just fucking wrong. I hope some people from PETA track down the family and exact some meaningful revenge.

[rowancat.livejournal.com]

I've run into "parents" like these and though normally polite
by nature (up to a point) i'm not at all shy about letting them know what i think of their overindulgence in not controlling their offspring
if their behavior is way out of line.

I think far too many people think that the way the repulsive aggressive idiots on Mad TV (which i refuse to watch now) act is acceptable behaviour.

They should bill the parents for all costs.

[katfireblade.livejournal.com]

There's another problem here,one that could have short-circuited the parents stupidity if someone ever gave a damn enough to actually implement it. This is the rabies shots themselves.

Because they are legal in Georgia (yes, this ties in with merecats), I looked seriously into owning a skunk. This is something I still want to do eventually. However, skunk owners are a paranoid lot, many going so far as to demand none of their freinds pet, touch, or have any contact with their skunks. Is this because skunks are biters or somehow inherantly tempermental or otherwise a bad risk?

No.

This is because if a skunk, ANY skunk, even one who has been proveably indoors all its life, has had contact with NO other critters, AND has had rabies shots to boot are still considered a rabies risk. One accidental nip that breaks the skin, and your furry friend is beheaded in the name "safety."

But they've had rabies shots, right? Hells, the owners have vets reports that say so!

Doesn't matter. Rabies shots effectiveness has been studied on only a handful of animals. In others, you might as well not even weaste the money because, even if its 100% effective on the animal, they will be killed anyway. Because no one has done the right studies, so you know, they cant be sure.

Looks like the merecats fell victim to the same folly in thinking. Chances are these animals have lived in completely controlled circumstances, probably had all their shots and care, and are as far from contagious as humanly possible. But because whatever pencil pushing scientific guru hasnt given them the green light--they die. Period.

Is it just me, or if we keep an animal--ANY animal--in captivity, then we also have a responsibility to those animals, be they zoo animals, exotic pets, or our garden variety dog or cat to have everything in order for their health? There's no "this animal must be protected but that one we wont bother." Pisses me the fuck off.

As for the family and rabies shots--priced them recently? My mother works in the medical field, and when I was bitten by a wild rat (thankfully, the species doesnt carry rabies) we had the fun-ness of looking into the shots. This could easily bankrupt a poorer family. Its fuckin fantastic--you can live or you can eat, but not both. The family may well have been willing to teach her a lesson until they saw how high that price tag was. I cannot say I wouldnt have done the same thing in their shoes, though I would have otherwise done everything in my power to protect the animals, including keeping an eye on my brat.