I call it “cute abuse”. Cute is profitable. Cute makes you feel all fuzzy inside. Cute is good business. The word “cute” should not be used in conjunction with the word “abuse” but sadly this is the case all over America in malls and parking lots. It makes us realize how some people really do lack a sensitivity towards animal welfare. Important note: there are millions of Americans who are deeply concerned about animal welfare.
People love tiger cubs. You can understand why. They are the cutest of all wild cats. Our attraction to tiger cubs has resulted in unscrupulous people exploiting the tiger for financial profit. Surprised?
There is actual no limit to the human imagination in dreaming up ways to exploit the tiger. Tiger cubs as photo props is at one end of the commercial spectrum. Perhaps tiger bone wine and tiger body parts for medicinal purposes is at the other end because it is gruesome rather than cute. America does cute; China does gruesome. Both exploitations are disrespectful of the tiger and animals in general.
This Big Cat Rescue video explains the problem well:
Tiger cubs can be seen in cages in malls and parking lots across the USA. There must be cars, noise and fumes. Would this be frightening to a tiger cub in a cage?
At first sight, it looks pleasant enough to many people but when you think about it, it is actual raw abuse of a vulnerable and beautiful wild cat species. I am sure cute abuse it not limited to tigers. Lion cubs look extremely cute too. White tiger cubs are particularly cute, which is, actually, abuse piled upon abuse because white tigers are heavily inbred, so much so that some are born with congenital defects. They are probably killed at birth. The same can said for almost all captive wild cats to varying degrees.
People who like to see tiger cubs should really look beyond the cute image. They should think wider, to the business end of the process. I am referring to the breeding programs to create a supply of tigers (see also Tigers for Sale). The cubs are often taken early from their mother, psychologically damaging both and mother. To the business-minded people who use tiger cubs to make money, you can imagine that cat welfare is not their first priority.
People should recognise the fact that cubs are put to work when they are weeks old. It is an animal version of child labour. The cubs are not just used as a photo prop. Sometimes people simply pay to pet and hold the cub.
Using tiger cubs as business opportunities must stop. Local governments need to do more to stop it. I am sure it breaches animal welfare laws of some sort or am I being naive?
Those poor little cubs surely someone there can do something to save them.
I’ve joined many protests in the past,it’s the only way forward,I’ll do it again in the future as well and if I had the money and no responsibilties here I’d be over there with you Micheal when you say you’d be first to march I’d be your second.
Yes the anti declaw demo was a total let down,the AVMA must have laughed all the way through their convention that the threatened protest by over 400 people ended up with only 7 animal rights people from St Loius who they could shrug off as Peta freaks.
Animal abuse will not end while the people there do nothing to end it.
Agreed, to stop these things there has to be passion, commitment and real action; not just words on the internet, which are all well and good but not enough.
Sorry but I think it’s sad that someone from another country where the cruel declawing of cats was never done even before it was made illegal, was the true cat lover to arrange the protest and to be let down by the people who said they would go.
He shouldn’t have had to step forward in the first place, there should be millions in the USA and Canada protesting everywhere, every chance they get, because the very thought of taking away a cat’s claws should fill all cat lovers with passion and determination to stop it.
Cats will go on suffering until this happens, we in the UK can’t believe it’s been allowed to go on for decades and still going on and it will until people get together and fight for all the cats being legally abused.