At the prospect of giant panda, Tian, Tian giving birth, Sarah McMullan writes that this “has turned even the most hard-hearted into animal lovers” (Panda-monium ... world goes nuts over baby for Tian Tian in Edinburgh Zoo, News, August 27). She couldn’t be more wrong.
Animal lovers don’t want to see yet another animal born in captivity, existing in an unsuitable environment, with no possibility of escape, other than to be transported to another prison and being gawped at by people who certainly won’t be animal lovers, as real animal lovers derive no pleasure from seeing animals in zoos, especially animals such as pandas who don’t like nor want to be in the proximity of humans.
It is disappointing, to say the least, that a Sunday Herald journalist has written up the story in this way, demonstrating that she has no more empathy for Tian, Tian, her luckless baby and zoo animals in general than those who visit zoos and so help zoos in what they are really interested in: making lots more money, not the welfare of animals.
She also shows quite clearly that she has no understanding of how animal-lovers feel about animals. Perhaps she also believes that farmers love animals (as they often claim) and demonstrate their love by sending them off to the slaughterhouse.
Sandra Busell
Edinburgh
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