Blogging again for the morning crowd: IMPORTANT
Apparently there’s a new show set to come on air in a few days called Killer Karaoke. From what I can understand, it’s basically a mixture of Fear Factor and American Idol, hosted by one of the members of Jackass (I honestly wish I was kidding). But that’s irrelevant.
The problem is this: the show’s producers and crew have all participated in blatant animal cruelty.
In one of the challenges, a contestant is lowered into a tub filled with ice-cold water and non-aquatic snakes.
This is cruelty on several accounts. Those snakes started drowning the moment they were put in that tank. Those snakes started freezing the moment they were put in that tank. Reptiles in general are extremely sensitive to temperature change and the cold would have been excrutiatingly painful. Not only that—the contestant can be seen thrashing around in fear, kicking and flinging snakes. The producers have issued a statement that none of the animals were harmed during the making of the episode, but fatal respiratory infections can take days (even weeks) to start showing symptoms. Considering most breeds of snake can develop URI’s at humidity levels of just 70% and higher, they’re almost guaranteed to get sick after being dunked in water like they were.
It’s pretty obvious to see that the snakes are highly distressed and trying desperately to get out of the water. Sadly, I wouldn’t be surprised if a good half of them came down with URI’s and died in a few week’s time.
There is a petition going around to try and get this show taken off the air. I urge all of you to go sign it. This isn’t just a matter of sympathy for reptiles—this is a matter of speaking out against animal abuse. Period.
As of now, Steve-O and his producers are standing by their statement that nothing they have done is wrong. They need to learn that they are sadly mistaken.
IF YOU CHOSE NOT TO SIGN THE PETITION, AT LEAST SPREAD THIS POST AROUND. SPREAD THE WORD. IF THE PRODUCERS HAD CHOSEN KITTENS OR DOGS TO PUT IN THAT TANK OF WATER, THE VIEWING PUBLIC WOULD BE IN AN UPROAR. THE REPTILE COMMUNITY NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT.
