An interesting article on the Zanesville massacre

Terry Thompson and the Zanesville Ohio Zoo Massacre: Newsmakers: GQ

This is a very well written article on the Zanesville exotic animal massacre and the man behind it.  It made me think of the great documentary "The Elephant in the Living Room," about people who have exotic animals, and also the series "Fatal Attractions" on Animal Planet, about people who have exotic animals and eventually are killed by them.

I can completely understand the attraction to have a wild animal.  In fact, I'd have several myself, if it were not for my over-riding concern about what is best for the animals.  There is no question in my mind that it would not be best for an exotic animals to be in my home.  I believe they belong in the wild, and that we should do nothing to promote their capture, sale or breeding to private citizens.  I believe zoos serve a valid conservation and education purpose, but generally speaking, it is still sad to visit them and see animals in captivity.  It is especially heartbreaking after seeing them in the wild to see them in a zoo, and beyond heartbreaking to see them in a home or "private zoo" setting.

As a kid, I loved the zoo.  One of my first memories of doing any activity outside the home was visiting the Detroit zoo when my family lived in Detroit.  We moved away when I was three, so I had to be younger than three.  I can still remember vivid scenes of the animals.  The first lion, the first elephant, the first zebra I saw in real life.  Wow, I was impressed.  I was with my mom.  I never had an easy relationship with her, and I don't know how she came to take me to the zoo that day.  I remember it was raining, and I wanted to stay all day anyway.  We shared an umbrella.  We shared a hot pretzel with cheese - my first - another vivid memory of that day.  I remember the male gorilla I saw behind glass, and how I thought he looked sad.  I remember a conversation with my mom about that...not the words, I just remember asking her about it and that she did say something about it.  I remember looking into the gorilla's eyes, and hearing her voice while I did.  I always visit zoos when on business or leisure trips around the world.  There is no question my love of animals and my early exposure to the zoo inspired me later in life to visit animals in the wild and see them in their natural habitats, where they belong.

After seeing elephants in the wild, it was painful to see them in the zoo.  It is no way for an elephant to live.  Yes, maybe it is better than death and it serves an educational purpose, but it is tragic how little most zoos can provide for elephants compared to what they have in the wild - large family groups, a variety of vegetation, lots of various terrain, etc.  Seeing an elephant standing alone in a small concrete space was so heartbreaking I couldn't look.  It is just so very cruel.

Though I would love to be near an elephant every day, there is nothing, I hope, that could make me forget that is not what would be best for the elephant.  I simply can't provide a suitable elephant environment.  Nor could I provide an appropriate lion, tiger, bear, wold, serval, or any other exotic animal environment.  Life in a cage is not fair; life away from your own kind is lonely.  Not being able to act on your instincts is cruel.  It is not appropriate to force animals to live in captivity because they are beautiful, powerful, exotic, or even because one loves them.  Certainly it is wrong to keep animals in captivity because of how they make you feel.

There is no question that being near exotic animals is thrilling.  Outside the U.S., regulations are lax - you can go inside tiger cages, play with lion cubs, ride elephants, pet cheetahs.  I admit that from time to time in my travels I have done some of these things...because the opportunity was there, and because not doing it would not change anything.  For example, there is a zoo in Africa where, for a small tip to the zookeeper, you can go inside the cage and pet the cheetahs.  Those cheetahs are going to live in the zoo whether I do that or not.  They were actually rescued orphans and can't be returned to the wild as they never learned how to hunt; a skill that wild cheetahs have to learn from their mothers over time.  I'm not supporting cheetah capture or altering the lives of the cheetahs for the worse.  And the draw is amazing.  To know what a cheetah feels like (their coat is rough, almost like a bristle brush, not soft), to hear their purr (really deep, closer to a dog growl than a domestic cat purr), to see their expressions (happiness at a belly rub, jealousy at the other cheetah getting a belly rub, etc.) to feel their heart beat in their huge chests and watch their tails flip back and forth in the red dirt.....well it's amazing.  And yes, I think how amazing it would be to have one.....but I never would.

I completely and totally understand the attraction people have to the idea of having their own exotic animals.  I would get in the cage with the lions, the tigers, the wolves, the bears....I am not inherently afraid of animals.  I would also be the kind who doesn't have the animals in cages.  (I'd have my horse in the house if I could.)  When an animal powerful enough to kill you in a second chooses not to kill you, it's an amazing feeling.  It is easy to feel special in that moment.  When an animal that could kill you in a second seems affectionate towards you or happy to see you, you can feel beyond special - you can believe you have a unique bond with that animal.  Something about you is special and the animal knows it and your connection with that animal is like no other....people believe it.  You can't help it.  It has a seductive power that can blind you to reality and to danger.  That is how people who have raised a pet tiger they love more than anything in the world one day find themselves injured because they turned their back and lit up the tiger's prey drive with a sudden movement and "play" to the tiger results in injury to the human.  I never blame the animal in those situations; the blame does not lie with them.

Being attracted to exotic animals is completely understandable, but taking the wrong turn of accumulating them is selfish and irresponsible.  Terry Thompson had animals because of how they made him feel.  And while I am sure they made him feel great, how did they feel?  This is a man who had serious emotional issues.  The animals were innocent victims and whether he meant to hurt them or not doesn't matter.  While I am sure he did love his animals on some level, what he loved about them was likely their beauty and the way they made him feel special, powerful and unique.  Real love is putting the animal's needs above your own, caring more about how the animal feels and whether its emotional, mental and physical needs are met than about yourself....and thus, most of the time, not acquiring or owning animals.  One person can only care for so many animals well...though there is no magic number for all people, there is no question Terry Thompson was way over the limit no matter how you look at it.

It is a tragedy for his animals that he did what he did.  Maybe if it leads to laws that exotic animals cannot be privately owned that will be a benefit that comes of this, though not one worth the cost.  It is horrible that law enforcement was put in the position of putting down these animals and that they could not be captured alive.  Everything about the situation is a tragedy, though no innocent people were harmed by any of the animals, which is good - because there would be those who blamed the animals for being animals.  At least this way it is clear that the only evil or malice was man's. 

Simon's Saga Ends

In September of 2003, we were looking for a companion dog for our then almost a year old Aussie, Callie.  We knew we wanted to adopt a rescue dog, and we read about Simon, a red merle Australian Shepherd estimated to be between 4 and 6 years old.  He had survived a lot of trauma - some of which was obvious, some of which revealed itself over time once we adopted him.  It was hard not to fall in love based on his story.  His owners in LaGrande, OR, had hired their neighbor boys to shoot Simon (who had a different name then) and their other dog, a terrier.  So he was taken to a cinder pit outside of town and shot twice in the head, and then presumably struck by a vehicle (glancing shoulder blow).  Somehow he survived, though the bullets took two teeth, punctured his jaw and tongue, and left him bleeding.  It happened in July of 2003 and a deputy found Simon by following a blood trail to some shade of a tree.  A kind vet operated on Simon and the shooters got a whopping sentence of one day's jail time for animal abuse.  He went into foster care and a few months later we adopted him.

At first he was nearly orange, with dry and brittle hair that became a beautiful, silky soft, deep red merle when he got a good nutrition program.  He was too thin and his head looked too big for his body.  He told us through his behavior some of the other things that had happened.  He must have been beaten for pooping, because he would never do it on leash or if watched. He must have been beaten in a kitchen, because no kitchen ever felt safe to him...it took him over 6 years to enter our kitchen; we even tried carpeting it due to his fear of linoleum and tile floors....but that is how we learned the fear of certain types of floors and the fear of kitchens were separate.  When he got nervous or upset, he would poop in the middle of the night in one room of the house.  He was very upset by young men in baseball caps and by the smell of gunpowder.  He was unpredictable, and could bite people when he considered them to be on his turf - sometimes with a warning lip curl, sometimes with no warning at all.  He had an extremely high prey drive and was very aggressive with horses and livestock; he could never be trusted alone with them.  He did not know how to play with any toys and never would fetch.  Eventually our other dogs taught him tug of war, but he only really played it the last 2 years of his life.  He knew how to break ice, respect the end of a leash or a line, and he was all muscle when we got him and could jump over 6 feet straight up.  He had not had enough to eat so he ate way too fast and had to have a special bowl or toys to slow him down.  He also consumed everything and anything - he had to have his stomach pumped at least a dozen times while we had him, but he was indestructible.  He had nightmares for years - I used to wake him up and soothe him until he realized where he was.  He was jealous of anyone else getting attention and thought all hugs should be his.  He was like a football player on a date who does not take no for an answer - he kept trying to get on your lap when you sat on the couch, and snuggle into you.  The vet said that he was probably not professionally neutered and that his tail had been bobbed too short.  It is a wonder he wanted anything to do with humanity at all.

In truth, he was not an easy dog to own.  He was a huge responsibility.  It was not his fault; he just never could completely shake the trauma he had been through.  And who could blame him?

Keeping him safe was the first priority - and that meant making sure he was not in a position where he might bite someone.  One had to manage all house guests very carefully - and once in awhile mistakes were made.  It was hard to ever relax and not worry about him; fortunately Callie, the dominant dog, kept him in line and one need not worry when she was present.  Unexpectedly, however, he outlived her.

From the day he came home, he was a hero in the eyes of Ophelia, one of our cats.  He was "her dog."  She never went a day without washing his face, rubbing her butt on his chin, and napping next to him.  She loved to curl up along side him.  She is very shy about other people and animals, but Simon was a joy to her.

He was with us for almost exactly eight years, and we did our best to make them happy ones for him.  He went on lots of camping trips, he loved boating and rafting, he went running and hiking.  His favorite treats were dried sweet potatoes, but he never met a food he didn't like.  He rolled regularly in manure, annoying to us, heavenly perfume to him.  He loved other dogs, though he had little socialization skills - he liked to hump and then when a dog was submissive to him he had no idea what to do...he was a beta dog all the way.  He was happiest with a strong leader and another submissive dog to be a buddy.  We fostered dogs and he had a clear favorite - a dog he loved so much we almost considered adopting him just for Simon.

He was a gentle dog at heart; he could be trusted with small kittens, and he was a great dog to socialize young foster puppies with - he never lashed out at them no matter what.  He was very protective of us, and we never had to worry that someone would break into the house when he was in it!

He was slowing down a little, but after all, he was 12 to 14 years old, which is a decent age.  He didn't show signs of arthritis and he was still quite active.  Last Sunday, less than a week ago, he developed a slight swelling in his neck.  We picked him up from daycare and they noted it - when we got him home he sounded raspy like it might be impacting his airway, so we went to Westvet in case it was a cheat or a bite that needed treatment.  Samples suggested lymphoma cancer.  We made an appointment for Tuesday to discuss options and went home to await test results.

The next morning he would not eat.  I made him a milkshake of cat food, kitten milk and kibble and he went eagerly after it, suggesting appetite was intact but the swelling, worse overnight, impacted his ability to eat or swallow.  He did not want to eat soft food and would not touch anything until it was liquid.  So I took him to work with me to keep an eye on him.  By noon the swelling had doubled and he was beginning to have trouble breathing, so another trip to Westvet was in order.  Cytology results were back: large cell lymphoma.  We knew that could mean 30 to 60 days, we didn't know it could mean 30 to 60 HOURS.  We were not at all prepared.  He was suffering - clearly complaining of pain, and the swelling was so bad it was like he swallowed a basketball and it got stuck in his throat.  In less than 24 hours it looked like we were losing him.

We had to reduce the swelling and control the pain.  To accomplish that and not rule out other treatment options, we had to treat with a chemo drug and an IV painkiller and he needed to be admitted and monitored for 24 hours.  During that time we tried to evaluate whether to do chemo or put him down.  Chemo would take 4 to 5 weeks until we knew if it was working, would entail 5 months of drug treatment, would require more tests and many drug cocktails, and might buy him 6 to 14 months if successful.  For an older dog, especially one with Simon's issues who is not easily taken to work or monitored 24 hours a day, one who would not like going to the vet on a regular basis...could we put him through chemo?  Would he want that?  We are going into winter - he stays indoors a lot - what would he be looking forward to? 

When he was stable and the swelling was controlled, he could be switched to oral painkillers and come home; so he did, late Tuesday, after 24 hours of wondering whether he would ever be home again.  Ophelia was estatic to see him.  He was tired and relieved to be home.  The vet said that with painkillers, prednisone, and the drug he'd had, he could make it 2 to 5 days before the symptoms re-occurred.  So we decided to give him one last great day and have a vet come to the house so he could die with his family and never have to go back on a tile or linoleum floor.

He played with a dog friend, at steak cooked in bacon grease and topped with egg, cooled himself in the canal, ran in the pastures, said goodbye to the people at his daycare, napped on his favorite orthopedic bed.  He was clearly not 100% comfortable, and we knew it would get worse and chemo would only postpone the inevitable.  In the end, we had to say goodbye much sooner than we expected.  A week ago he seemed totally fine, and yet two night ago, he died...peacefully and loved.

We did the best we could to give him a good life; to make up for the past.  He gave back all his love and gratitude, and left us with many positive memories of times with him...and funny memories of his quirks.  It is a huge shock to lose him so quickly.  Ophelia, also a rescue, will miss him most of all....her dog is gone, and I can't tell her why.  I found her waiting on his bed this morning.  He leaves a void for all of us.

Gorrilas in the Rain

One thing I wanted to make sure my husband saw during his first (and possibly only) visit to Africa was mountain gorillas in the wild.  So we detoured from Tanzania to Rwanda to see gorillas.  Although I had been to see gorillas in Rwanda in 2007 on two separate hikes, and in Uganda the same trip, I was thrilled to get to see them again.  For animal lovers, it is really an amazing experience - and if you aren't an animal lover, it could convert you.  It's amazing.

First of all, seeing these animals on foot is quite an experience.  The gorillas, habituated over about 2 years, choose to let us visit them.  The guides communicate with them in grunts and reassure them we mean no harm, and they accept this.Even though man is their greatest threat.  Even though they know this, with bad experiences with snares and poachers.  Even though, without weapons, they are more powerful than we are. 

The day of our hike, it rained.  The hike was 7.5 hours round trip, with one hour of that being gorillas viewing.  Unfortunately, it was raining during the viewing and that made for less than ideal conditions, in two respects.  First, it is always tough to get good photos of gorillas as you can't use flash, it is very humid and quite dark in the rainforest, and often you get lens fog.  Second, gorillas are less active in the rain as they hunker down and wait it out vs. play and interact with one another.  But, it is what it is, you take what you get.  At least we did get to see gorillas, in both the mist and the rain.  It was a tough hike, and we ended it cold, wet and hungry, and covered in mud - but it was worth it, and I'd do it again. 

In these photos you see the secondary silverback - not the biggest silverback in the group or the leader, but the V.P. if you will, of a group called Sabayingo.  He is pictured with one of the females and her two offspring, one of whom is about 2 and the other who is just a few weeks old.  The baby is huddled close to mom with the toddler on the other side, so you can only see an ear of the baby here.  You can see the big male with his arms wrapped around him, waiting for the rain to stop, guarding his family members.  We are standing about 10 feet (best guess) from the Silverback, off to the right of this photo.

Although I didn't get great photos compared to my past gorillas trips, this was still a nice viewing.  I have been lucky enough to see gorillas in the wild 5x now - and I have no idea if I will ever have the chance again.  If it is something on your life list, make it a priority - because it is truly something special.

The Elusive Leopard

Seeing a leopard is always a supreme treat on a safari.  This trip, we saw two leopard cubs.  They were walking a distance away, and I didn't get any photos as I was busy watching them and trying not to lose them. As the cars gathered in the central Serengeti for a glimpse of the cubs, making it harder and harder to see them, we luckily found the mom.  She was laying, then sitting, on a mound under an acacia tree.  Here are two photos of her.  I wish we would have been closer...but we got a great view, and we were the second car there, and soon after an onslaught of vehicles made the viewing less than peaceful.  It is hard to imagine a sight more beautiful than a leopard in the wild.  These gorgeous, athletic and solitary creatures are incredible, and strong enough to haul a kill up a tree in their jaws.

Young Hyenas

Although I've seen spotted hyenas before, this trip I saw some young ones.  Pictured here is a baby hyena nursing from mom.  In a separate sighting, a young hyena came up the rod very curious about our vehicle and gave it a good luck; that's the other picture.  Both viewings were very nice.  Although some people don't like hyenas, I do.  I think they are fascinating animals, from their matriarchal societies and hunting methods to their strange lopes and calls.  They always remind me of dogs even though supposedly they are not really related.

Black Rhino

The endangered black rhino can be hard to see, but we luckily got a viewing in Norongoro Crater of this one.  Unfortunately, Norongoro Crater is not a great place to see such an animals, because you have one rhino and about 40 cars.  It's sad.  Everyone wants to see a rhino, so the call goes out and WHAM every car in the crater is there.  This poor rhino wanted to cross the road, but as he walked, cars kept getting in his way as everyone positioned themselves to try and get a view or photo.  It was like a Yellowstone Bear Jam only worse.  Ug. 

It is a very sad fact that many African guides are more interested in great tips than respect for wildlife.  This is understandable - certain clients will tip more to get close and get that great shot, even if annoying or harassing the animal is the result.  Clients may demand behavior that is not best for the animals, and guides often feel this pressure so they do what is asked even if they know they shouldn't.  This pressure is even worse when the animal is particularly rare or very sought after.  Many times clients may not realize the negative consequences of getting too close or staying too long.  An ethical guide will respect park rules as well as what is best for animals, but may be penalized at tip time for doing so by clients who care more about their photo ops than the animal's welfare.  If you go on an animal viewing/wildlife trip, please think about what is best for the animal and respect whatever rules the guide sets out.

We left this poor rhino in peace quickly, but it was sad to see him struggle with the traffic and the cars jockey for position continuing to block his path.  This is where a park ranger would have come in handy if willing to block the road and let the poor guy on his way.  Unfortunately, all the park rangers we ran into in Norongoro Crater were speeding and none of them seemed to be actively engaged in animal protection.  Our guide reported that the rangers in fact kill many animals due to failure to obey speed limits they themselves set. 

Common Zebra

As a horse lover, of course I have a soft spot for Zebras.  My favorite are Grevy's zebras, but those are endangered and hard to see; I have only seen them in Samburu National Park in Kenya.  On our Tanzania trip, we saw the much more common "Common Zebra" (so aptly named).  Although they may be common, I never get tired of seeing them. 

Young zebra have brownish stripes which get black as they mature.  The pattern on each zebra is supposed to be unique, though I can only tell the difference between them if I look really closely!  Smaller than horses, zebras have really cool calls to one another - sort of a cross between a donkey and a hiccup.  This photo is of a herd we came across in Norongoro Crater.