Published: April 13, 2009
Op-Ed Contributor
Outrage: Zoo Almost Shot Polar Bears To Save Lady
By Robert Paul Reyes
"Zoo keepers who saved the life of a woman who jumped into a polar bear enclosure at Berlin Zoo revealed on Monday that they were moments away from shooting the animals.
Rifles had already been issued to marksmen and Heiner Kloes, a zoo spokesman, said: This woman's behaviour not only put her life in danger but also that of the staff who had to rescue her.
However, we do have guns and we would have been prepared to use them without hesitation if it was felt it was the only way to save the woman." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/5148900/Teacher-who-survived-polar-bear-mauling-at-zoo-was-depressed-over-job.html
The woman known only as "Mandy K" not only endangered her own life, but those of the brave zoo keepers who rescued her. Mandy was severely depressed because she was recently laid of from her teaching job, but there are better ways of dealing with depression. Mandy is still in intensive care, she has paid dearly for her foolish action and we shouldn't pile on her.
If the zoo keepers had killed the polar bears who were only defending their turf from a trespasser there would have been a worldwide outrage from animal lovers. The bears are captured and imprisoned in a cage, to shoot them because an idiot jumps into their enclosure would be nothing short of murder.
If a similar incident happens in the United States and the zoo administrators decide to shoot a zoo animal, I guarantee that the zoo officials would not enjoy a day of peace for the rest of their lives.
Robert Paul Reyes is a NewsBlaze writer on Politics, Pop Culture and Pointless Pontificating. Contact him by writing to NewsBlaze.
* The views of Opinion writers do not necessarily reflect the views of NewsBlaze
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