Animal Welfare Concerns by Paige Mongon
This prompt literally just gives me an excuse to rant so… Beware.
There has never been a time when there hasn’t been an animal in my life. From the time I was a wee baby,
there was always the fur equivalents of tumbleweeds rolling around my house, for with a minimum of three
There has never been a time when there hasn’t been an animal in my life. From the time I was a wee baby,
there was always the fur equivalents of tumbleweeds rolling around my house, for with a minimum of three
cats (which has since turned into 1 more cat, 3 dogs, a handful of fish and snails, and a bearded dragon)
you’re bound to end up with a hefty amount of loose fur. As I grew, my love for domesticated animals grew
also, blossoming into a love and an appreciation for wildlife too as I experienced the world around me with
the wide-eyed wonder of a child. Nothing is more important than Earth and wildlife, so with that established,
here is a rant/tangent about humanity’s mistreatment of animals through canned hunting.
Canned hunting is a rather prosperous trade, especially considering that, and forgive me for being
you’re bound to end up with a hefty amount of loose fur. As I grew, my love for domesticated animals grew
also, blossoming into a love and an appreciation for wildlife too as I experienced the world around me with
the wide-eyed wonder of a child. Nothing is more important than Earth and wildlife, so with that established,
here is a rant/tangent about humanity’s mistreatment of animals through canned hunting.
Canned hunting is a rather prosperous trade, especially considering that, and forgive me for being
presumptuous, few know of it. For those who have never heard the term “canned hunting”, it is a form of
hunting in which animals are contained and confined to a certain (often notably small) area, then are brutally
murdered by those whom they are conditioned to trust. Often, such farms rely on humanity’s greed for the
exotic; the animals on the farms are generally vulnerable/endangered creatures, such as the lion. Society
functions based upon the idea that the rarer something is, the more valuable it becomes. These farms profit
off of the vulnerability of wild species, banking on the fact that something becomes more desirable the
harder it is to obtain. Though on canned hunting farms, nothing is difficult to obtain so long as one is willing
to pay an exorbitant price.
hunting in which animals are contained and confined to a certain (often notably small) area, then are brutally
murdered by those whom they are conditioned to trust. Often, such farms rely on humanity’s greed for the
exotic; the animals on the farms are generally vulnerable/endangered creatures, such as the lion. Society
functions based upon the idea that the rarer something is, the more valuable it becomes. These farms profit
off of the vulnerability of wild species, banking on the fact that something becomes more desirable the
harder it is to obtain. Though on canned hunting farms, nothing is difficult to obtain so long as one is willing
to pay an exorbitant price.
The fate of those on canned hunting farms are sealed the very moment they are born into captivity. From
birth, the animals are taught and conditioned to interact with humans. They are fed by hand, attended to in
close proximity to humans without being drugged, and are pet much the same as one would a household cat.
Their lives are steeped in human interaction, all of which is positive during their younger years. Some canned
hunting farms will actually invite the public on tours where they are allowed to interact with, pet, and feed
young offspring- but what they aren’t told on such a tour? That this animal will end up yet another head on a
wall, sightless eyes glazed over, a remnant of a trip long past. When the offspring have matured, it is then they
are free to be slaughtered and reduced to a cherished stuffed head. It is not a matter of if, but rather when an
animal will be murdered on a canned hunting farm. Confined by fences with a preset price on their heads, the
animals are stalked by hunters, often amateurs who wish to bring home just another ‘pretty head’ from an
exotic destination. But this isn’t hunting- it lacks any semblance of honor or fairness. The animals have no
chance; they never did. Even had there not been physical barriers to prevent the animal from fleeing, they are
conditioned to believe that seeing a human is synonymous with a treat or another reward. The animals rarely
ever attempt to flee, instead approaching the hunter, for it is humans who feed them treats from their hands,
humans who supply a daily source of fresh water, humans who lovingly stroke their pelts. These animals were
never given a reason to fear humans- this is partially why canned hunting is such a lucrative business. Even
the beginner hunter, the amateur, is practically guaranteed a kill because the animal doesn’t even make an
attempt to flee, and sometimes is even drugged before the ‘hunt’. In this instance, it is not just an animal which
is being slaughtered, but a tame animal, tame meaning unafraid of humans and not dangerous. These animals
never posed a threat- they were raised to be slaughtered, born to die prematurely at the very hands of those
they were trained to trust. Never once on these farms are the animals ever considered living, feeling, breathing
beings- instead, they are viewed as just another object from which a select few can profit. It is a hunt which is
conducted for ‘fun’ or ‘sport’-not out of a need but a materialistic, greedy desire.
birth, the animals are taught and conditioned to interact with humans. They are fed by hand, attended to in
close proximity to humans without being drugged, and are pet much the same as one would a household cat.
Their lives are steeped in human interaction, all of which is positive during their younger years. Some canned
hunting farms will actually invite the public on tours where they are allowed to interact with, pet, and feed
young offspring- but what they aren’t told on such a tour? That this animal will end up yet another head on a
wall, sightless eyes glazed over, a remnant of a trip long past. When the offspring have matured, it is then they
are free to be slaughtered and reduced to a cherished stuffed head. It is not a matter of if, but rather when an
animal will be murdered on a canned hunting farm. Confined by fences with a preset price on their heads, the
animals are stalked by hunters, often amateurs who wish to bring home just another ‘pretty head’ from an
exotic destination. But this isn’t hunting- it lacks any semblance of honor or fairness. The animals have no
chance; they never did. Even had there not been physical barriers to prevent the animal from fleeing, they are
conditioned to believe that seeing a human is synonymous with a treat or another reward. The animals rarely
ever attempt to flee, instead approaching the hunter, for it is humans who feed them treats from their hands,
humans who supply a daily source of fresh water, humans who lovingly stroke their pelts. These animals were
never given a reason to fear humans- this is partially why canned hunting is such a lucrative business. Even
the beginner hunter, the amateur, is practically guaranteed a kill because the animal doesn’t even make an
attempt to flee, and sometimes is even drugged before the ‘hunt’. In this instance, it is not just an animal which
is being slaughtered, but a tame animal, tame meaning unafraid of humans and not dangerous. These animals
never posed a threat- they were raised to be slaughtered, born to die prematurely at the very hands of those
they were trained to trust. Never once on these farms are the animals ever considered living, feeling, breathing
beings- instead, they are viewed as just another object from which a select few can profit. It is a hunt which is
conducted for ‘fun’ or ‘sport’-not out of a need but a materialistic, greedy desire.
Sources
I hope you use this passion to help animals in the future.
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