Sunday, May 23, 2010

zoo trip..good / bad ?



     Earlier this week , the whole family went to our local zoo.  It's been a nice week b/c the hubby has been home w/ us all week on vacation! We actually made it more of a stay-cation but, w/e it's been awesome!  I'm so torn about the zoo though! I love it on one hand b/c it's so amazing to be able to see all of the animals up close & it's a great educational tool to teach our daughter about all the animals that she loves so much.  I can also appreciate that they do help w/ animal breeding programs to help threatened species rebuild their populations. I also know that many folks learn a great deal about our world & hopefully leave w/ a new respect & love for this planet by visiting the zoo.. Alas, the animal rights side of me disdains the zoo! I can't help but feel badly for the animals in their cramped quarters, & unable to roam freely in their natural world! Perhaps it's b/c we always go on a hot day, but the animals often look miserable & uncomfortable. It breaks my heart in a million different ways.  My husband calls me a bleeding heart...a lot, probably for reasons like this.  I hope to teach my little one more about animal rights when she is old enough but, I guess for her to understand those animals we may have to visit the zoo..sometimes..
How do you feel about the zoo? Am I the only one w/ these mixed feelings? 
& more about the good times we had a the zoo & lots more pics soon to follow 
<3


4 comments:

Aly said...

I feel the same as you.I like Safari parks where the grounds are large enough.But zoos where there is no room for them make cages larger really upset me.

punk rock michelle said...

I'm glad that I'm not the only one feeling so conflicted!

♥ Sarah @ FFP ♥ said...

We have so much in common! So I am following you (in a non creepy way, promise.)

I am a vegetarian for almost 8 years and am SO conflicted about zoos and taking my daughter there.

I just love animals so much and it was soo flabbergastingly (probably not a word) cool to see them up close and in personal and to have my daughter see them and be amazed by them. SO COOL.

But I also feel bad because I do not like supporting a cause that basically takes wild animals out of the wild and puts them on display for people to look at.

On the other side a lot of those animals would be closer to permenant extinction if not for zoos and other such places.

So I agree with you on a lot of your post and will continue to think and re-think the zoo thing.

punk rock michelle said...

oh I'm so glad that someone else struggles w/ it too! My daughter is wild for animals so she loved it but , at the same time I felt guilty ..I want to take her back there in many ways but..again am torn..
I've been trying to get my hubby to take us to the farm sanctuary that is near us ..but, he just keeps calling me a hippy...which he knew when he married me ! :D