This has come up a bit in comments on the post about wolf-baiting, and so I think it’s worth clarifying.

While I don’t condone the maltreatment or abuse of animals (please, let’s stay out of the vegan debate that’s erupted lately) what I absolutely condemn is the maltreatment and abuse of humans.

Yeah, it makes me a phylumist (spider pride >8<) but I’ll always put people first. Is animal abuse wrong?

Yes.

Is inhumane treatment of animals wrong?

Yes.

Is inhuman treatment of your fellow human beings (yes, therians and otherkin, you count for that) wrong?

Yes.

I know that it’s easy to give in to hyperbole, especially when faced with some of the downright shocking shit your fellow homo sapiens will do to the other beings they inhabit this earth with - but please, let’s try to keep it in check.

There’s a reason that the work that the WSPA works not only to get animals used for baiting out of these horrible situations, but to ensure that the people involved in these events get the education, financial support and alternatives to turn away from the practice. In part, it helps ensure that people have incentive to treat animals better in the future. In part, it’s because the people are every bit as important as the animals.

For that reason, I’m going to make the polite request that you not reblog things from this tumblr with comments about how you’d like to murder or do horrible things to anyone that treats animals badly. There are some awful, awful people out there. I’d be lying if I said my gut reaction to a lot the stuff I see isn’t a desire for that sort of ‘eye for an eye’ justice.

But situations are nuanced. And people are important shit.

Obviously you have the right to disagree, and obviously I don’t have the power to stop you from reblogging with these sorts of comments (nor would I use it if I did), but maybe next time you wish death on people, consider that death is a pretty damn big thing.

Just think about it.

Thanks,

-That person who usually fills the queue with stuff, oh shit I should do that again.

PS - Just because wolves and other predators are ~*majestic*~ doesn’t mean that they’re more worthy of protection than herbivores, omnivores, or anything else. Check out this handy summary of the theory of charismatic megafauna when Wiki’s back up for some good reading.