Maurice Mizzi, Bidnija
Bird shooting is animal cruelty, so why not protest?
I notice that recently there has been higher awareness of the cruelty being inflicted on animals.
The cruelty suffered by the dog Star highlighted the problem.
I am not young and maybe my mind is getting confused, but are birds not animals?
If this is so, then doesn’t shooting and killing birds fall under cruelty to animals?
If my reasoning is right, then why do the associations campaigning against cruelty to animals not protest against hunting?
Why were so many people shocked at the cruelty meted out to Star and yet nobody says anything about the cruelty being inflicted on birds in Malta?
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Maurice Mizzi
Jul 25th 2011, 15:12
I take back my words. They are too harsh and uncivilised.
My apologies.
Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Jul 25th 2011, 08:50
C Cassar, your usual desperate efforts to TRY and ban hunting, using baseless arguments. Keep on dreaming Sir! Hunting is a LEGAL pastime practised the world over. Notwithstanding your bickering, the Maltese hunters are now also enjoying their Spring Hunting Season, as approved by the ECJ and accepted by the EU. Uncivilised are those persons who try to impose their opinion on others and those other people who do not know the meaning of respect and tolerance towards a LEGAL pastime!!!!!
Y Zammit
Jul 24th 2011, 19:57
I d say animal farms are cruel, ban them. Doesnt it sound stupid? And wont you gradually make everybody a vegan that way, against their will?
Mr C Cassar
Jul 24th 2011, 20:48
It's comments such as the above that often make an attempted debate with the Maltese quite embarassing. It's the same old invalid statements through lack of any motivation to gain any kind of education or learn from other EU nations who show more experience in the areas under discussion.
So many here with heads firmly buried in the sand.
Y Zammit
Jul 25th 2011, 00:16
Well, id say that if you consider bird hunting cruel (in real life mostly a clean and fast kill), then you also have to consider all forms of animal farming as cruel. Which is ok by me.
But when you try to BAN hunting for everyone on the basis of YOUR beliefs, that goes against my rights (even though i am even about hunting as such). And if people like you DO ban hunting on these grounds, then i fear that one day they will ban meat industry. And that goes against my personal belief in eating meat 4 times a week at least.
Mr C Cassar
Jul 24th 2011, 15:30
All those desperately clinging on to an out dated activity are panicking to defend what will very soon be history. The whole reasoning behind defending animal cruelty to those animals in the wild is the sure sign of the uneducated and backward that have found themselves in a corner with no escape. The more they try and defend the undefendable, the closer Malta gets to a civilised European nation, Keep it going so we can getthere quicker.
Mr Johnny Xerri
Jul 24th 2011, 17:11
Civilised European nation....are you aware that hunting ispracticed allover the EU...& that the ECJ itself declared Malta's right for a derogation on spring hunting...and that the EU commission acknowledges this?
Sometimes I wonder if you live in another civilisation and time warp....
In my humble opinion it is those who fail to acknowledge simple facts that are some what uneducated and backward...
In the meantime enjoy your slaughtered and murdered chicken or fillet...how does it feel to be an animal contract killer ?
Mr C Cassar
Jul 24th 2011, 17:59
Malta has a tiny land mass. It's a proven migration path for many birds. They need to stop in Malta to rest/feed etc. There is no where for them to hide in peace, no forests, no remote meadows etc. That's why Malta is not a sustainable hunting ground. What's so hard to understand about that?
It's the same old argument about smoking - why should it be banned, why should we stop in public places bla, bla, bla. Now it's banned thank God. The same will happen to hunting although even more reason in Malta as stated above. The activity has already been severely restricted so there's only one way to go and the majority can clearly see the reasons why. The same will happen to Tuna rancjing with quotas already slashed. As the younger generations travel and become more educated, they see the damage that (in this case) the Maltese are causing with the impact felt in many other nations.
Stefan Micallef
Jul 25th 2011, 11:53
I only read the first sentence of your comment C.Cassar,and i will tell you 1 think,yes of course in 5 years time!
Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Jul 24th 2011, 14:35
Indeed, Maurice Mizzi, your "mind is getting confused"!!! Whereas hunting is a LEGAL pastime practised by millions, cruelty to dogs, etc. is ILLEGAL!! Is it so difficult for you to distinguish between what is legal and what is not?!
Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Jul 24th 2011, 14:18
Maybe if your "reasoning is right", you might reason that the killing of chicken, rabbit, fish, cows, pigs, etc. also "fall under cruelty to animals"!!!! Finally, your aging mind let you write "the cruelty being inflicted on birds in Malta"! You must indeed have a problem with your mind Sir!!, since hunting is practised NOT just in Malta BUT worldwide! Well another banal letter/article coming from you, as usual!!!!!
Mr Johnny Xerri
Jul 24th 2011, 13:54
To my knowledge may people speak volumes against hunting so your claim of " yet nobody says anything about the cruelty being inflicted on birds in Malta?" is futile and banal to say the least.
Moreover, Mr Mizzi...letters about lost productivity due to hunting, presenting a hoppoe as being feeding in your garden when it was a googled picture, and now with animal cruelty!!!
First of all todays ammo and guns are effective and cause a humane dispatch...so much so that all countries all over the world have legislation that approves of the use of such hunting tackle.
Secondly, by your reasoning we should kill no other animal, not even in the abatoir since the dispatch is surely not as humane as a gun shot...so Mr Wise guy whats on for dinner tonight....some cabbage & a gidra?
If you really are all out for a better environment why not oppose those who import fuel guzzlers and those who have country side 'farm' houses...they are the ones polluting the environment...and the ones reducing habitat for wildlife...but then again we can always shift responsability can't we?
Mr Anthony Formosa
Jul 24th 2011, 13:08
Indeed Mr Mizzi, you're getting too old and easily confused. Legal hunting (Game birds) is not cruelty, if in your opinion this is cruelty, than we should not eat farmed animals or fish for instance. However shooting protected birds is illegal and cruel in a way, same as when a business man rip off the common consumer from his hard earned money.
D Borg
Jul 24th 2011, 19:15
care to clarify how killing a turtle dove is not cruel whereas killing a heron is?
maybe you believe that pigs are less sensitive compared to cats or dogs?
Liam Kelly
Jul 24th 2011, 12:56
I also got a big shock when i saw the reaction to the Star story. I mean that sort of thing happens regularly on a daily basis on the island and continues to do so.
Because Star was a cute fluffy ball of fur and was presented to them on the front of their nice convienient newspaper it seems!