How does one differentiate between killing an animal legitimately, and flat out animal cruelty? Sometimes there's a fine line there, but I realise that such a line is subjective. A recent thread on catching mice reminded me of someone I knew in college. He would brag to me (and other people) about his pest killing exploits.
Apparently he had a short term rat problem, so he purchased one of those diabolical glue traps. Eventually he caught the rat. Noting that the animal was still alive, he decided it was a good idea to boil a kettle of water, which he eventually poured the boiling water over the helpless animal. Not in one go, but slowly, as if to drag it on. Seemingly proud of himself, he would describe in detail the rat's screams and frantic wriggling. When he finished with the kettle, he boiled another kettle of water and did the same thing. Unfortunately the animal was not still dead by then, according to him it was wheezing and in a state of convulsions. He then noted that the fur started to fall off, and that the skin was reddening and blistering from the heat. Despite the poor creature being horribly burnt and still alive, he throws the animal, trap and all, into the dumpster outside.
I'm no psychologist, but I thought to myself "yep, future serial killer right here". Maybe he was just making it up and trying to offend people, though from talking to other people he might have had a history of this. Sure, rats may be pests, but it is really horrible to torture and kill something like that. Especially if the person telling the story had a creepy grin on his face, as if he enjoyed the experience!
Don't know about you, but something like that would certainly cross my ethical line. I have no problem killing animals, but this was something else altogether. It was quite sickening. I don't know what he is doing now, my best guess he's either in jail or in a mental institution. This was a grown man, not a little kid who's just curious and doesn't know right from wrong. Then again even when I was as young as 5 I knew doing that sorta shit was wrong.
So what do you think, was his actions justifiable or did it cross the line? When does it cross the line for you?
Apparently he had a short term rat problem, so he purchased one of those diabolical glue traps. Eventually he caught the rat. Noting that the animal was still alive, he decided it was a good idea to boil a kettle of water, which he eventually poured the boiling water over the helpless animal. Not in one go, but slowly, as if to drag it on. Seemingly proud of himself, he would describe in detail the rat's screams and frantic wriggling. When he finished with the kettle, he boiled another kettle of water and did the same thing. Unfortunately the animal was not still dead by then, according to him it was wheezing and in a state of convulsions. He then noted that the fur started to fall off, and that the skin was reddening and blistering from the heat. Despite the poor creature being horribly burnt and still alive, he throws the animal, trap and all, into the dumpster outside.
I'm no psychologist, but I thought to myself "yep, future serial killer right here". Maybe he was just making it up and trying to offend people, though from talking to other people he might have had a history of this. Sure, rats may be pests, but it is really horrible to torture and kill something like that. Especially if the person telling the story had a creepy grin on his face, as if he enjoyed the experience!
Don't know about you, but something like that would certainly cross my ethical line. I have no problem killing animals, but this was something else altogether. It was quite sickening. I don't know what he is doing now, my best guess he's either in jail or in a mental institution. This was a grown man, not a little kid who's just curious and doesn't know right from wrong. Then again even when I was as young as 5 I knew doing that sorta shit was wrong.
So what do you think, was his actions justifiable or did it cross the line? When does it cross the line for you?