Does anyone else get frustrated at shows like "Animal Cops"

[OtterCreekRanch]

on animal planet, specially when it comes down to cases involving chickens?

I have seen countless episodes where they have seized chickens, mostly game breeds, and it never fails that they come up with such and such excuses for why it is a fighting rooster and must be humanely euthanized, even if there is no real evidence to suggest that is what they are being used for.

I have seen countless times when they have said...well, this rooster is dubbed so it must be a fighting bird. This is exactly why the general public has so many misconceptions about the breed I am most passionate about...Old English Game Bantams. It is part of the standard for game breeds to be dubbed for show. But thanks to shows like this on tv I have had multiple people confront me about why my roosters I have had were dubbed.

Today there was an episode on and part of their "evidence" was metal leg bands and the fact that a couple of the birds had wing bands. Seriously? Because, again, people who show don't keep record of their birds at all.

I would LOVE to raise large fowl games for exhibition, but with all of this nonsense I am afraid someone would turn me in and I would have all of my likely expensive birds taken from me for no real reason.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I can't even watch it. It's too sad to see.

 

[OwlLover]

They need to actually LEARN something about the birds before they start whining about it being "a game breed so it is dangerous." Yeah, a lot more dangerous than the owners.

If I don't stop typing right now, I'm going to rant.

 

[OtterCreekRanch]

Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate what they do. I couldn't do it because I would have a hard time not losing my temper with a lot of the people they come across that do not take care of their animals. Just every once in awhile they have an episode (also seen a few on snakes and even a big tabby cat they swore was an ocelot that kinda got me, just the misinformation lol) that just makes me wonder why there isn't a little more research put into it.

 

[riane'smimi]

I agree they are clueless and cause more harm than good.I think I seen the one you are talking about .No proof whatso ever and yet they want to prosecute the owners and they killed the birds. I seen one where a person had an old little dog that they had since birth that was born with a crooked leg. Those idiots took the poor dog from it's home only to have their vet confirm the owner was right ,Then had the NERVE to say it was going to have a better life!!! HOW? they took it from the only home it knew for 10 years and it was fat and healthy other than the leg,which could not be fixed and was not caused by abuse.
Now all you hear is people saying "I have a rescue cat" or I have a rescue dog and YES They have rescue chickens also.
You never hear anybody any more just plain saying " I went out and got the family a puppy or kitten" Do you really need a pat on the back for getting a pet.
Is everybody out there villians for having animals unless their animals have the word "RESCUE" in front of it.
Ok I can rant for hours about it.

 

[Wisher1000]

I'm not defending the people on the show but keep in mind that the producers have a great deal of influence on what is said on those programs. No matter what the disposition of the case or the animals, the content must be exciting and make people want to watch. It really shouldn't be called reality TV. Saying that the roosters were fighting birds and had to be destroyed is better TV than saying that several were rehomed and the rest were sent to freezer camp.

 

[mulewagon]

Hey, I was just ranting about Animal Cops today - I saw it in the gym while I was on the armcycle. I thought that while a lot of the work the people were doing was good, the show fosters a horrible attitude and is a bad example.

They showed a starving horse that had been abandoned, and then lots of shots of the "Animal Cop" hunting for the owner, on a quest to "get justice" for the horse. There wasn't a word of any kind of information on why someone would abandon a horse, or what the viewers could do if they were unable to feed their horses, or anything. Is there anyplace that people can get help if they can't support their animals? I sure wouldn't call the Houston SPCA for help after seeing this show - it made them look like a bunch of vigilantes, out for revenge. I hope they aren't, but the show sure spun it that way.

It seems to me that the show encourages people to be mean-spirited and hateful about animals, and to cast blame and not help each other at all. There's no grey area between the heroic "Animal Cops" and the evil animal abusers, no mention of people who are in over their heads, ignorant, or struggling.

 

[cassie]

I can't watch these shows. The ignorance on all sides does my blood presure no good. You might try contacting the program or the agency involved with the particular episode. Ignorance isn't just found in Animal Cops. I watched a Hoader episode where they threw out several cases of honey because it had passed its expiration date. Honey has no expiration date. Several thousand year old honey found in ancient Egyption tombs is still good.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

My big issue with animal cops is the fact that they are a private agency that has been given government police power..

 

[riane'smimi]

Quote:
Right and they take it to new heights.The sad thing is it makes alot of people think it's wrong for others to raise animals either for meat ,eggs,and God forbid they do the FOUR letter word
(gulp) S.E.L.L. one.
Now everybody is a horder of something .If you have three dogs ,you must be a hoarder and abusive UNLESS it's three "rescue dogs" that's different of course because ,well, they are RESCUE dogs.
If you have a flock of chickens ,well you must be a hoarder and I bet you are abusive . I am willing to bet you have the nerve to expect those poor birds to lay eggs for you to eat.How could you! Don't you care that the mother hen has feelings! I guess not as you seem pretty happy to of just eaten her babies .
I could go on and on about the nonsense they come up with