Animal Planet promote abuse

[vegan]

[glow=pink,1,000]Has anyone seent the episode of "Pet Star" on Animal Planet about the two young girls and the "musical guinea pigs"? The girls sang Old McDonald and the guinea pigs "sang", but the "singing" was actually fear and pain as the girls ruffled the guinea pigs fur from the rump up. The judges thought it was hilarious but people at home who saw this were angry and thought it in poor taste for Animal Planet to allow it to be aired. This is why I hate when people say guinea pigs make perfect pets for children because they obviously dont know how to treat them! [/glow]guinealynx.info/animal_planet_promotes_abuse.html

[Merry]

Yes I've seen that... sure it made me mad but I wouldn't call it outright abuse, since the girls didn't technically injure the piggies. However I do agree that Animal Planet should review the animals' 'tricks' a bit better before putting them on air.

If I've been informed correctly a lady at GuineaLynx who knows them has given them a talking-to about it, so hopefully they won't be doing it any more.

My main concern now is all the kids who watched that and decided to try it out on their own pigs.

[vegan]

I don't think since they didn't "physically injure" the pigs that isn't abuse. Like that one person wrote, doing that to a pig is the same as pulling a cats tail and making her yowl. What they did to the pigs is very painful to them and you can see the brown pig at the very end the fear and distress on her little face! It made me so angry when I watched that.
And I thought the same thing about kids trying that out on their pigs now too

[Merry]

Well I guess we just have different definitions of abuse then. Saying that I do think that causing pain to an animal in any way is wrong, and it makes me so sad to see it.

[Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess)]

[glow=lime,2,300]Yes I understand this is cruel but I agree with Merry on this one.

And I dont think Animal Planet is Promoting abuse!! I think that is taking it a little to far. You cant expect everyone to know about every type of animal and you cant blame animal planet.

Its not animal planet who picks the animals who go on there. Its the show itself. They are the ones who do the auditions and all that. I do think by saying animal planet is promoting abuse you are blowing it way out of hand! but that is just my opinion [/glow]

[Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess)]

[glow=lime,2,300]Vegan, how old are you? I thought on your profile it said 15 but I could be mistaken. If it does then technically your a child. So how can you say they are not good childrens pets? not all kids are like the ones on that show. You cant say those kids shouldnt have a pig either, kids make mistakes. Hopefully they will learn from someone talking to them about what they did. [/glow]

[vegan]

ok well its my opinion too. i may be a "child" to you yet you are only a year older.. but im not a CHILD because i am 15. i am saying they are children and they should have known they were causing the animal pain. i may be a "child" to you but i know how to properely care for animals. ok when i see an animal in any kind of suffering cause by an ignorant person i dont say "oh they'll learn from mistakes" whatever

[Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess)]

[glow=lime,2,300]Im a child too! Until we are 18 we are children, teenagers yes but children just the same. They obviously didnt know they were causing it harm! And again, because they did that doesnt mean Animal Planet promotes abuse![/glow]

[Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess)]

[glow=lime,2,300]Just because your 15 doesnt mean a thing. Im 16 and i know im still a child. Deal with it. Im glad you know how to care for animals, but not everyone does. You didnt pick up a Guinea Pig and know exactly how to care for it. You learned! And to learn something you make mistakes, some bigger than others!

Oh, and in your signature you spelt enough wrong. Just letting you know, Im not sure if you wanted it spelled that way or not[/glow]

[soozthecat]

Yeah Id say you shouldnt really complain about the actual channel Animal Planet, its thew only one dedicated to animals and thats like the only bad thing they've ever shown, whilst they've shown tons of great things to educate people about lots of things to do with animals. You've got to apretiate that to, you cant just complain about things.
I posted something along those lines on the PETA2 website once and it was deleted.. typical...
Also, vegan.. you're a.. child !!! Sorry if your mum forgot to tell you or something..

[Susie]

There are lots of stuff on the net about it. Glad someone has spoken to the 2 girls. I would have been most upset aged 15 to be called a child so I do understand where you are coming from Vegan. I'm sure if everyone thinks back they will too. I know what everyone is saying... but Vegan isn't a 'child' its just shes not an adult yet either... I think the word is teenager! Lets be sensetive to other forum members guys and keep this a nice place. I also agree that children & teenagers shouldn't be soely responsible for any animal. As not everyone is grown up enough... parents need to help.

[Bellatrix]

I only watched it online and read the transcript, but those girls said they'd had guinea pigs most of their lives, I've had guinea pigs since I was six, I'm 15 now and I definately know what noise a guinea pig makes when it's in pain. And aren't those judges meant to be experts on animals?

Mario Lopez talks to them when they are done, and tells them that it was great, and that the pigs were on rhythm and that they knew their part. He compared their actions to a DJ with a mixing table, rubbing on records, but in their case they used their guinea pigs instead. Deborah, the first judge is laughing hysterically, while Jeff, the second judge is making squeezing motions with his hands in the air. Deborah is laughing so hard that she cannot talk, and holds up nine fingers as her score.

The second judge, Jeff, asks how long the girls have had the animals. The older girl says that they've had those particular guinea pigs for two years, but that they've had guinea pigs most of their lives. He responds by saying that he had a guinea pig once, and he was so excited that he got it on Christmas morning that he chased it around the house until it had a heart attack and died. He's apparently saying this as a joke, and the girls are laughing. He said that it was the funniest act of the day, makes the squeezing motion in the air with his hands again, and he gives them a ten. The third judge Bri also gives the girls a ten, and tells them it was really cool.

That show is sick, I think taking the animals into the studio with all the bright lights and noise is abuse in itself. What those girls did is definately abuse. Maybe they're just ignorant but the adults in charge should know better.

[Susie]

I watched it too... its horrible. And as has been said the girls have been spoken to & various things are on the net but that won;t necissarily reach all the viewers who thought it was cute & a good idea to try

[cavy13]

that is horrible! And they say the channel is supposed to be FOR animals!

[Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess)]

[glow=lime,2,300]Susie i have to disagree. Vegan is a child! Im 16 and im still a child. Just because im technically called a teenager doesnt mean im not a child. I still have my mother taking care of me and supprting me. You wouldnt call a 6 month old piggy a teenager you would call it a baby. Until both vegan and I are 18 we are children, simple as that.[/glow]

[Clover]

Bellatrix said:

I only watched it online and read the transcript, but those girls said they'd had guinea pigs most of their lives, I've had guinea pigs since I was six, I'm 15 now and I definately know what noise a guinea pig makes when it's in pain. And aren't those judges meant to be experts on animals?


That show is sick, I think taking the animals into the studio with all the bright lights and noise is abuse in itself. What those girls did is definately abuse. Maybe they're just ignorant but the adults in charge should know better.

I totally agree Emma, it was definatly abuse! At 15 those girls should have known better, especially if they've kept piggies for a while. Plus the producers are just as guilty. They should have known that alot of animals don't like being stroked the wronge way. You only have to stroke a cat like that and they make their feelings known.

We all have different opinions TimsCavyPrincess. My daughters are 17 and 15 and I like to think of them as adolescents, rather than children. Like Susie has mentioned, at that age they arn't really a child, but then they arn't a fully fledge adult either. But you are entitled to your opinion and if thats what you think, thats fine. Vegan and others feel differently about it, so its best to just respect their views about it, even if you don't agree.

[Susie]

Ok lets agree to disagree... love how Jackie put it so elequently, maybe where we differ timscavypricess is that in the uk aged 16 you can legally, smoke, leave home, get married and have sex so you are definately not a child! These are adult things. I know vegan is feeling upset & like this post has got personal... when she was only pointing out something we all agree is sad by 2 girls who are definately old enough to know better. So lets leave the debate on age there & respect some people might find it hurtfuil to be called a child... me included when I was 15/16 & I am 22 now so remember it well!

Oh & just to add I would call a 6 month old piggy a teenager & do so repeatedly on my website www.barmy4boars.co.uk because the adolecense stage is where you often get problems with fights for dominance.

[Izzy]

I saw that a while ago, it's really awful I'm 14, I take care of my pigs. I've had piggies since I was 5-6 (obviously just helping mum look after them at that age) - if those girls have had them most of their lives, there is surely no way they could not know that that is not a happy sound! There are only a few years between 15 and 18, and I don't think many 15 year olds would not be able to understand the concept of pain - this is me speaking as a 'child'
But what I don't understand here, is how did this turn into a thread to pick on Vegan

[Merry]

I would also fall into that 'child' category and I got picked on at GuineaLynx because of it and I know how annoying it can be. It really depends on the individual. Some 'children' choose to be irresponsible with their pets but it is possible for a 'child' to take as good care of their pet as any adult.

Vegan I hope you'll come back, we miss you!

[Susie]

Thats very interesting... I would never have guessed Izzy & Merry were younger members... just goes to show the point I have been making. You can asssume maturaty based on age always & its very crass to lable someone of 15 or 16 a child, a word used to describe you from 3+! Worlds apart.