Forgetful Fıshıes

A recent study has claımed that fısh cannot feel paın, and whıle thıs ıs an ongoıng debate one has to argue that thıs would be a rather convıenıent excuse for avıd anglers and large fıshıng corporatons. But whıle conflıctıng ıntrests may be satısfıed wıth thıs study’s conclusıon ıt ıs not purely a questıon of paın, but a questıon of sensory perceptıon. Do fısh sence threat? And ıf so whıle thıer braıns may not be equıped wıth a nervous system ıt ıs possıble for the anımal to sense danger, just a look at the way they scatter when approached. So many chıldren may feel that thıs ıssue ıs not even debateable, as Nemo and hıs father are quıte real and capable of a large number, ıf not all sensory perceptıon that humans experıence.
Another very apt argument ıs that, just lıke Dorı, the ıssue of fısh wıth a 5 second memory span does not warrent thıs debate, for whıle they may feel paın, ın a few seconds they wıll forget that they do.

To choose, or not to choose.

A reader once wrote to us once about the difficult decision of letting her pet go. How do we, as living human beings, actively and in good conscience make the choice between life and death? She struggled with this paradoxical question as her beloved dog lay in discomfort after an unfortunate accident with a car. When we are faced with situations like this it is easy to understand the obvious hesitancy we have, because we are aware that that power and that the decision is not ours to determine. But as our companions are unable to express there will, it is our responsibility, as friends, parents and trusted caretakers to determine the best course of action when our friends are in pain. It is a personal decision that we make when no other options are available.

DARG's protest against the new animal by-law

DARG
Main Road – Hout Bay
Phone - (021) 790 0383 Fax - (021) 790 2050 Email - info@darg.org.za Web - www.darg.org.za


Dear Friend of DARG

You’ll doubtless know of the City of Cape Town’s new Animal By-law which is presently open for comment from the public. You’ll know too that there are many voices against the by-law, ours among them, and you will likely have seen some media coverage on the subject.

While we agree on the need to consolidate current legislation, we believe that the Animal By-law should result in improved animal rights, be easy to implement and should not render an already flawed system even more difficult to administer. (Some of our objections are noted in greater detail at the foot of this message.)

We need your support in voicing effective opposition to the By-law and in ensuring that the opinions of animal rights groups are taken into account by the City. You can help directly by –

• Attending our Promenade Parade on Saturday 25th October at 10:30. We’ll meet at Three Anchor Bay, opposite Sea Point Place and, at 11:00, will walk to the Pavilion to present a Memorandum to a representative of the Mayor;
• Circulating this message as widely as possible;
• Joining our Facebook Group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42869030751;
• Downloading the Animal By-law at http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/ByLaws/Pages/Draft_by-laws.aspx;
• Before 31 October, emailing frederick.venter@capetown.gov.za to directly voice your concerns to the City.

Let us put our collective voices together to ensure that the Animal By-law serves our City, its citizens, and our animals, in the best way possible.

We hope to see you on Saturday.

Sincerely

Joy Giovanini

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Key Animal By-law Concerns
The by-law, as it presently stands, is unconstitutional and is a violation of animal rights. In particular –
• The by-law intends to unreasonably curtail the number of animals that may be kept on any premises;
• It suggests monitoring processes which will be at best, ineffective, and at worst impossible to administer;
• The draft document is silent on the qualifications of persons charged with enforcing the by-law;
• Where more than two dogs will live on the premises, a permit will be required, for a fee, and the consent of neighbours will need to be sought;
• The provisions to seize, impound and “destroy” animals are a disgrace and, far from encouraging responsible animal ownership, will have quite the opposite effect;
• The education of animal owners, as well as animal sterilisation and adoption campaigns have not been addressed by the by-law.

We have compiled a detailed schedule of objections and shall submit this to the City.