This is a subject that was prevalent in the news until the Primary Elections began to dominate.

Back in the 1980’s I worked in a Stock Yard, penning cattle which had been sold at auction. I don’t know how many of you have ever worked with cattle, but most of the cows/bulls are usually cooperative to an extent. However, occasionally some of the cattle are a little upset, frightened, or even angry. When this would happen, and a cow/bull were uncooperative, we would use a “cattle prod” to get them to behave in the desired manner. Much like Police do with tasers. (cattle prods do not cause cattle to lose control of motor skills at all. It is just a small shot of voltage that gets them to move along.)

One day while attending my duties, just before the Auction was about to start. A couple of representatives from the SPCA came in to inspect. With them, a new mandate declaring the abolition of the use of electric cattle prods.
Now, consider a cattle prod has much less voltage than a taser. They were no longer legal to use to pen cattle at auction. They instead, were substituted with a long fiberglass stick apparatus, with a large plastic rattler on the end.( resembling a boat paddle). They told us that the electronic cattle prods were cruel and scared the cattle. So, we were instructed to shake these{giant baby rattles} at the cattle to get them to comply.

Well, I am no coward. Nor am I an Idiot! I would love to see any one stare down a 2500 pound, angry Brahma Bull using only a giant baby rattle. We were told that if we continued to use our regular “Hot Sticks” we would be subject to: fines, imprisonment, and shut down of operations, revocation of liscenses,etc.etc.etc.

My point is this. Are human rights less important than animal rights? The use of tasers by police seems to be out of control. Do we as citizens need for the SPCA to step in on our behalf? How can it be “OK” to shock a Human Being into submission, but cruelty when the same (even much less potent)method is used on a dumb animal.

There is something wrong with a society who values animal rights over Humans. Or isn’t there?

The animal has no choice in the matter.  It did not choose to be in that situation, nor did it commit any crime to be put there.  It was there because a human forced it to be there.  As far as the human is concerned, he or she CHOSE to do wrong and CHOSE to put him/herself in the position to be tasered.  Someone has to speak up for animals because they, unfortunately, don’t have a voice.  Humans choose to do wrong and have the ability to speak up.  I choose a poor “dumb” animal over a murderer any day!

If you have been watching the news, they are using these for a lot more than alledged “murderers”. One instance, aman trying to leave a hospital with his child because he was dissatisfied with the level of care. Another, aa man during a traffic stop, refused to sign a ticket and was subsequently tasered. Another, you may have heard of, a man heckling John Carey during a speech, was tasered. A woman being arrested for DUI obviously upset with her husband, distressed and confused was tasered by police.

These are all instances of people being tasered by police, that do not rise to the level of a “murderer” on the run, or a bank robber, etc.

You stated that the animal has no choice in the matter. So, you imply that since humans have a choice it is OK to treat them as , or worse than, cattle. I certainly hope you aren’t a police officer.

Isn’t it the courts responsibility to administer punishment? Not the Police?

No, I’m not a police officer, thank God!  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that tasering someone is the right way to go, but oftentimes, humans, by THEIR OWN CHOICE put themselves in situations where something like this can occur.  The DUI?  Well, she shouldn’t have been drinking and driving, should she?  Her choice.  There are instances where it is totally unwarranted, like in the Kerry heckler incident.  (I applaud the heckler, myself, but that’s ANOTHER topic!!) I just simply believe that we should not mistreat animals.  They don’t have a choice in life.  Human beings do, and unfortunately, oftentimes choose to go down the wrong road.

If you have been watching the news, they are using these for a lot more than alledged “murderers”. One instance, aman trying to leave a hospital with his child because he was dissatisfied with the level of care. Another, aa man during a traffic stop, refused to sign a ticket and was subsequently tasered. Another, you may have heard of, a man heckling John Carey during a speech, was tasered. A woman being arrested for DUI obviously upset with her husband, distressed and confused was tasered by police.

It seems to me that to taser someone is sometimes the “easy” way out in some, not all, situations. It amazes me that certain situations couldn’t be handled the old fashioned way - man power. The heckler, for instance, wasn’t a big guy. Why couldn’t some “men” just carry him out? I am sure that there were more than 1 cop at the scene where the man refused to sign a ticket - if so and they couldn’t resolve it without a taser? The woman with a DUI? I do think that the use of tasers is being abused.

Here is a link to an article I feel everyone, concerned about this issue, should read.
http://www.afn.org/~iguana/archives/2005_04/20050402.html

Please read this before making up your mind as I have.

The Police are using the term “Non-Lethal” to describe the use of tasers. Remember, the “RACK” and “THUMBSCREWS” were “Non- Lethal” too. If Tasers are “Non-Lethal”, then why are so many people dying from their use? If they are only meant to gain compliance, then why are they being missused as instruments of punishment, primarily on people who haven’t even been convicted of a crime.

SpotsyDebbie - 28 January 2008 01:14 PM

The animal has no choice in the matter.  It did not choose to be in that situation, nor did it commit any crime to be put there.  It was there because a human forced it to be there.  As far as the human is concerned, he or she CHOSE to do wrong and CHOSE to put him/herself in the position to be tasered.  Someone has to speak up for animals because they, unfortunately, don’t have a voice.  Humans choose to do wrong and have the ability to speak up.  I choose a poor “dumb” animal over a murderer any day!

I too am an animal lover, however, I also believe that God gave us “the beasts of the field” as food, and told us to have dominion over them. I see nothing wrong with using a cattle prod on cattle and have done so myself in the past. a cattle prod is no more harmfull than an electric fence.
Are you also opposed to rodeos, horseback riding, steer roping, racing,or circus animal acts?  Animals are animals, not humans.

Kelly Fogarty

Kelly Fogarty - 12 March 2008 08:36 PM

SpotsyDebbie - 28 January 2008 01:14 PM

The animal has no choice in the matter.  It did not choose to be in that situation, nor did it commit any crime to be put there.  It was there because a human forced it to be there.  As far as the human is concerned, he or she CHOSE to do wrong and CHOSE to put him/herself in the position to be tasered.  Someone has to speak up for animals because they, unfortunately, don’t have a voice.  Humans choose to do wrong and have the ability to speak up.  I choose a poor “dumb” animal over a murderer any day!

I too am an animal lover, however, I also believe that God gave us “the beasts of the field” as food, and told us to have dominion over them. I see nothing wrong with using a cattle prod on cattle and have done so myself in the past. a cattle prod is no more harmfull than an electric fence.
Are you also opposed to rodeos, horseback riding, steer roping, racing,or circus animal acts?  Animals are animals, not humans.

Kelly Fogarty

Well said Kelly