Tales of Tenth Grade

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, t here 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 presumptuous, few know of it. For those who have never heard the term “canne...

Zoos have been around for years and years and can be found all over the world, used to display exotic animals that people normally wouldn't get the chance to see in the wild.  They're also a popular place to bring kids to learn about animals.  While people enjoy visiting zoos, they can be a terrible place for animals.  Sometimes, animals are kept isolated and prevented from socializing with others of their species.  This lack of companionship is common in zoos and leads to loneliness and depression.  Animals can also go stir-crazy if they're in the wrong environment, in an enclosure that's too small, or kept in solitude.  This can lead to extreme boredom and prompt animals to exhibit in "stereotypical behavior," or "zoochosis," which is restless motion such as pacing.  Sometimes animals go as far as to hurt themselves just because they have nothing else to do. Gus is a polar bear who became famous for his extreme repetitive behaviors.  He o...