scandal

A high emotion has been raised this weekend in a Zoo in Denmark, after the slaughter of "Marius", a 18-month young giraffe. Despite a petition asking to save the giraffe, the Zoo decided to slaughter it. Then, the giraffe get an authopsy in front of visitors, and the remains of the animals have been given to the Lions. 

The giraffe has been killed because Zoos want to prevent "in breeding" and want to increase genetical diversity. Consequently, the animals borned in the Zoo are regularly killed if no other zoo can adopt them. This is the fate of lots of unwanted animals in Zoos. The EU Zoo Directive is not prohibiting the killing of unwanted healthy animals and also insists on the importance to increase genetic diversity. Moreover, the protection of endangered species laid down by the CITES is not applying to animals borned in captivity.

The scandal here is bigger because there has been a high mobilisation in all the country to try to save the giraffe, including an offer of 500,000€. DEspite this, the Zoo decided to kill the animal.

This scandal is raising once more the issue about the "right to live" and "right to kill". Killing healthy animals cannot be called euthanasia, as it does not aim to end the suffering of an uncureable animal.

More information on http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2014/feb/09/the-death-of-marius-the-giraffe-pictures-from-copenhagen-zoo

Please also consult the position paper of VIER PFOTEN / FOUR PAWS on the definition of euthanasia here: VP Position o Euthanasia and killing.