The pleasure of inflicting cruelty to animals was played out this long Labour weekend in the Auckland suburb of Millwater where a driver mowed down nine geese. CCTV footage obtained by a local resident revealed the offender driving up and down the road in a deliberate attempt to target the geese. The locals are devastated with the cruel heartless deaths of a beloved family of geese who lived amongst them in peace. That is, until the early hours of Saturday morning when a sadistic human took their lives and the heart of a community. So why the senseless killing of beautiful sentient beings and how can we prevent animal cruelty?
As this situation demonstrates, someone with a psychological disorder had the will and capacity to execute the geese in this way. We can only speculate about their sad violent childhood of family and sexual abuse that created such a monster. However, these are well-researched explanations, not excuses and of little comfort to those who were killed and those left behind. The question is; how do we keep our animals safe from psychopaths?
- Teach children kindness, compassion and respect for animals.
- Step in and Speak up if an animal is being abused or neglected.
- Report animal cruelty to the authorities immediately.
- Help or get help for an animal in need. Act.
- Assist someone who needs help with their own or another animal.
- Support the calls for stronger animal welfare laws and penalties.
Finally, it is hoped that the Millwater locals who have been deeply disturbed by the killings of these geese; make the connection between their beloved feathered neighbors and the birds on their plates. Goose; Chicken; Duck; Turkey; Quail; Pheasant; Pigeon; Emu; Ostrich – all these birds deserve to live a life free from fear and cruel exploitation. It is hoped that this zoosadistic event reconnects the compassion in people’s hearts, to stop eating birds like the much loved geese of their suburb community.