PETA Explains the Real Problem They Have with April the Giraffe Live Stream
Dr. Heather Rally is a veterinarian with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Dr. Rally joined us on 'First News with Keeler' on Friday morning to discuss the real issue the organization has with the live stream of April the Giraffe and her new baby.
Owners of the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, NY announced the pregnancy and imminent birth of the calf back in February. With the announcement began a live stream video of April's habitat and immediately prompted criticism from animal rights groups. Following the barrage of complaints, YouTube temporarily took the stream down due to "graphic content," but PETA vet Dr. Rally says the issue is not the video.
Dr. Rally called into the Keeler Show on Friday to reiterate the statement issued attributed to PETA.
The content of the video isn't the problem—it's that another giraffe will be born into captivity, only to be denied virtually everything that's natural and important to him or her so that people can gawk at the spectacle of having a giraffe in New York state. Confining sensitive giraffes to tiny roadside zoo enclosures that are only a fraction of the size of their massive home range in nature is an abomination that started more than 100 years ago, when the first giraffe was taken from the wild, never to gallop freely again. It's time for zoos to prioritize animal welfare and end all animal-breeding programs immediately.
Dr. Rally believes that any animal that is put into a zoo or animal park is being prioritized second to that of the profits of the facility or organization. It is reported that this is the fourth calf born from April and the baby boy was born over the weekend.
You can hear our interview with Dr. Heather Rally on Keeler below.