A zoo system in Massachusetts is more or less resorting to hostage-taking in response to proposed budget cuts. The Boston Globe reports that after Gov. Deval Patrick decreased funding for Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo from $6.5 to $2.5 million in a line-item veto, the zoo officials wrote the governor saying that the steep budget cuts would render them unable to take care of the animals, and that many of them would have to be euthanized.
In other words, give us our money or we'll start executing defenseless animals, beginning with the cutest ones first (or at least that's where I would start, just to ratchet up the pressure).
This is a bold step. It's uncharted territory, because none of the other services that work with actual humans could make the same aggressive move, but with animals you can take the hard line. Will Gov. Patrick really let them haul out the pandas to be shot with a humane killer, as the public watches?
I hope that it works out for the zoos, because Franklin Park Zoo was my zoo growing up, the first place I ever saw a lion. Either way, though, I feel like we're in for an exciting finish.
carly| 7.11.09 @ 4:09PM
What are they thinking? there is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588
Vicky| 7.11.09 @ 6:23PM
Time to audit the zoo and cut the pay of the top executives. Which is what should be down all over the place starting with the politicians. Its not right the big wigs get pay raises and the little folks get the boot which other little people have to pay for.
Also time for some fund raising on the zoo home front. Kids saving pennies saved the USS Constitution and some nutty guy has raised million by collecting pennies for charity in NY. Time for creativity rather then hostility.
KansasGirl| 7.11.09 @ 7:44PM
These government bureaucrats are ruthless.
JP| 7.11.09 @ 11:17PM
If I was govenor, I'd call thier bluff. Wouldn't that go down well on YouTube. Besides, Boston is full of very wealthy radical Leftists. Let them pay for thier zoo.
Nolanimrod| 7.12.09 @ 12:42AM
If you want to know how it works out watch the John Cleese - Jamie Lee Curtis movie "Fierce Creatures."
Richard Baker| 7.12.09 @ 9:40AM
Why I thought that animals had rights to due process. Maybe they'll hire a shyster lawyer and make a fight of it.
Pingback| 7.12.09 @ 10:00AM
Hub Politics » The Good Thing II links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Stan Redmond| 7.12.09 @ 1:18PM
Shoot the animals and feed them to the hungry. Kill two birds with one stone that way. Whenever a govt funded agency gets a cut they complain they will first have to cut services to poor minorities and release the most dangerous criminals. Well, DO IT!!! I double dog dare you fools to start executing the pandas and giraffes. I hear Zebra is a good meal. And feed them to the starving orphans that will have their services cut.
jiner| 8.11.09 @ 11:51PM
Nike Air jordan
Dunk SB Shoes
Dunk SB Shoes
NBA Basketball Shoes
Cheap Nike shoes
Air jordan 23
cheap jordan shoes
air max tn
dunk shoes