Cecil the Lion

[mnrose]

Yes, it's horrific that this beautiful animal died (illegally at that). Although I can't understand why people get more up in arms about one african lion than millions of farm factory animals who are tortured daily. Not to mention people hunt wild game here all the time and do not eat the meat.

At least people are eating the domesticated animals that are being raised as food. This was done just for "sport" (if you can call it that). I find trophy hunting disgusting. Appalling. And, only cowards do it. How very sporting of him (and his guides) to lure the animal out of the protected park preserve, use a spotlight to blind it, and then shoot it. Wow. What talent.

I've got ZERO issue with hunting. But, this hardly qualifies.

He deserves what he is getting. Arrogant jerk.

 

[Glennie5]

The more you read about this guy the worse he gets. I will never understand people like this.

He was settled sexual harassment allegations by a former employee who was also a patient, in 2009, according to documents from the Minnesota Board of Dentistry. He settled a corrective action with the board and his insurer paid $127,500 to his accuser.

The woman said “she was subjected to ongoing and unwelcome sexual harassment by (Palmer) including, but not limited to, verbal comments and physical conduct involving her breasts, buttocks, and genitalia.”

She said she told Palmer and her supervisor that she wanted his behavior to stop, but he “failed to cease his harassing conduct.” She also said “she believed (Palmer) terminated her employment in retaliation for reporting the conduct.”

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

At least people are eating the domesticated animals that are being raised as food. This was done just for "sport" (if you can call it that). I find trophy hunting disgusting. Appalling. And, only cowards do it. How very sporting of him (and his guides) to lure the animal out of the protected park preserve, use a spotlight to blind it, and then shoot it. Wow. What talent.

I've got ZERO issue with hunting. But, this hardly qualifies.

He deserves what he is getting. Arrogant jerk.

I agree that this guy is a disgusting jerk but people hunt for sheer sport here everyday. Also, why do animals being raised for food have to spend their lives tortured first? Why are we ok with that? One animal is prettier than another? Africans eat lion meat too and trophy hunting is done all the time in Africa and here.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I really don't consider what he did to be hunting or sporting. He baited an animal that lost its fear of humans and then he shot it. There isn't any sport in that. He then wasn't humane about it.

He claims he thought everything was on the level, but even if that is the case, he took the shot. He is responsible. And there is some doubt whether that is the case because in the past, he's had a little bit of the same sort of trouble. .

According to the Star Tribune, he pled Guilty to federal charges in relation to poaching a bear.

"Palmer and others transported the bear, which was killed 40 miles outside of a legal hunting zone, to a registration station inside the legal area. Palmer was sentenced to one year of probation and fined nearly $3,000."

In 2009, he settled allegations of sexual harassment in his practice.

"She alleged that Palmer made comments about her breasts, buttocks and genitalia. Without admitting guilt, Palmer settled and paid $127,500 to the woman, who also was his patient. The settlement included references to his bear-hunting conviction and “substandard record keeping.”

http://www.startribune.com/what-we-know-about-minnesota-dentist-walter-palmer/318943371/

I say extradite him and let him face the music.

 

[mnrose]

I agree that this guy is a disgusting jerk but people hunt for sheer sport here everyday. Also, why do animals being raised for food have to spend their lives tortured first? Why are we ok with that? One animal is prettier than another? Africans eat lion meat too and trophy hunting is done all the time in Africa and here.

Just for the record, I don't eat conventionally raised meat for the reasons you identify. It IS possible to eat meat, however, and not have to torture the animals first. My farmer raises his meat the old fashioned way. Lots of space around them. Room to roam. Happy critters. They do have a bad second at the end of their lives, but only one bad second. Harvesting is done as humanely as possible with no stress to the animals.

I don't care for "trophy" hunting, regardless of where it is done. And, I have no problem with people in Africa, if that is their culture, hunting and eating big cats. This guy didn't do it for that reason, though, did he. Nope. It was PURELY for the trophy, which is, IMO, despicable. The meat was wasted. It is also quite telling that he has gone into hiding. If he did nothing wrong, he should be carrying on his normal life.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes, once they decapitated and skinned Cecil, they left his body to rot. And they tried to hide his tracking device.

(Can't find link to that again but read it earlier. Won't post link anyway due to disturbing pictures within the article.)

 

[LisaR]

Just for the record, I don't eat conventionally raised meat for the reasons you identify. It IS possible to eat meat, however, and not have to torture the animals first. My farmer raises his meat the old fashioned way. Lots of space around them. Room to roam. Happy critters. They do have a bad second at the end of their lives, but only one bad second. Harvesting is done as humanely as possible with no stress to the animals.

I don't care for "trophy" hunting, regardless of where it is done. And, I have no problem with people in Africa, if that is their culture, hunting and eating big cats. This guy didn't do it for that reason, though, did he. Nope. It was PURELY for the trophy, which is, IMO, despicable. The meat was wasted. It is also quite telling that he has gone into hiding. If he did nothing wrong, he should be carrying on his normal life.

I am NOT defending this guy. He is absolute scum and I am disgusted by his actions, but to be fair, there is no way he can carry on with his normal life at this point. His dental practice and home have been surrounded by people who would like to shoot him or worse.

 

[fly girl]

Looks like word has finally spread on how much of a tool this guy is.

Good.

 

[Hrhpd]

I agree that this guy is a disgusting jerk but people hunt for sheer sport here everyday. Also, why do animals being raised for food have to spend their lives tortured first? Why are we ok with that? One animal is prettier than another? Africans eat lion meat too and trophy hunting is done all the time in Africa and here.

Not sure why you are trying to change the subject. Just because there is a thread discussing the disgust of killing an endangered animal and leaving it to rot does not mean people are not also concerned about the care and treatment of domestic non-endangered animals being raised specifically for consumption.

Being outraged at the killing of Cecil does not mean people are complacent about feedlots and slaughterhouses. Why would you assume such? Why can't people be outraged at the killing of a majestic animal? Do they have to be less outraged than they are at the treatment at the slaughterhouses?

Perhaps, rather than derailing this thread about endangered animal poaching, you should start a thread about domestic animal cruelty so that we can discuss both separately since they are vastly different, but both just as deserving of topics.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Not sure why you are trying to change the subject. Just because there is a thread discussing the disgust of killing an endangered animal and leaving it to rot does not mean people are not also concerned about the care and treatment of domestic non-endangered animals being raised specifically for consumption.

Being outraged at the killing of Cecil does not mean people are complacent about feedlots and slaughterhouses. Why would you assume such? Why can't people be outraged at the killing of a majestic animal? Do they have to be less outraged than they are at the treatment at the slaughterhouses?

Perhaps, rather than derailing this thread about endangered animal poaching, you should start a thread about domestic animal cruelty so that we can discuss both separately since they are vastly different, but both just as deserving of topics.

I'm pretty sure they are related and no I don't feel like starting a thread about domestic animal cruelty. Are you saying that the only reason to post on here can be to keep stating that this guy is a jerk, over and over again?

 

[alopez926]

Even if this piece of dirt was duped by his guides into thinking this "hunt" was on the up and up, once he realized the the lion had a collar, the right thing to do would have been to contact the authorities and tell them what had happened. He and his tour guides should have tried to get the Lion medical aid before he shot it dead. Under no circumstances should Dr. Death have skinned and beheaded this beautiful creature. That is so beyond the pale, vile, wrong and disgusting especially since it was done with full knowledge that the lion he bagged was being tracked and lived on a reserve.

But as others have said, what kind of coward would pay all this money to hunt an animal in this fashion in the first place? Karma is a b*&&ch.

 

[MrsDuck]

And call me petty, but I have zero qualms about the media and the court of public opinion tearing this man to shreds. Good. Let him fall. I have no mercy for him for what he did to this animal. This goes beyond just killing a protected, majestic animal - Cecil's cubs and the pride he left behind is now in jeopardy now that he's gone.

Let them have him. I dare him to try and come back to the States now.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I hope his practice stays closed forever.

 

[gwynne]

I'm pretty sure they are related and no I don't feel like starting a thread about domestic animal cruelty. Are you saying that the only reason to post on here can be to keep stating that this guy is a jerk, over and over again?

I think many are here because the thread topic is: "Cecil the Lion". It's about Cecil, his life, his death...and also about who killed him and how that was accomplished. It happened in Zimbabwe.

I don't see the link to domestic (US) animal cruelty, but certainly see that as a valid topic for another thread.

 

[srferson]

I am NOT defending this guy. He is absolute scum and I am disgusted by his actions, but to be fair, there is no way he can carry on with his normal life at this point. His dental practice and home have been surrounded by people who would like to shoot him or worse.

I think it would be appropriate for this guy to feel like he is being hunted for the rest of his life.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

He wasn't duped (eta IMO). They lured the lion off protected grounds at night with a dead animal on the back of a truck. Then the doctor shot him with a bow and arrow, but it didn't kill him; it just maimed him. Then they tracked him down for 40 hours and finally shot and killed him. The two "guides" he was with were locals - who were paid $50K. Authorities and conservation groups have said this was deliberate and knowing. Cecil was an animal ambassador to Zimbabwe and attracted a lot of tourism to the area. The two locals were arrested. Dentist's whereabouts are unknown. Cecil's head is still in Zimbabwe.

 

[Hrhpd]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I hope his practice stays closed forever.

I agree. That way he won't be able to raise the $55,000 for bribes in order to illegally poach endangered animals.

 

[robinb]

The lion death toll does not stop with Cecil. His cubs (I've read between 6 and 12 cubs) will probably be killed by the male who takes over the pride. It's natural, but still on the hands and head of Dr. Palmer.

I'm pretty sure they are related and no I don't feel like starting a thread about domestic animal cruelty. Are you saying that the only reason to post on here can be to keep stating that this guy is a jerk, over and over again?

I, for one, don't think that we can say Dr. Palmer is a jerk often or loud enough.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I agree. That way he won't be able to raise the $55,000 for bribes in order to illegally poach endangered animals.

I sense a go fund me account coming.

 

[Hrhpd]

I sense a go fund me account coming.

I would contribute to one to send Dr. Palmer back to Zimbabwe. I am pretty sure the good people of Zimbabwe want to express how they feel about him poaching one of their beloved icons.

 

[Tuffcookie]

I am as outraged over this as everyone else. I could never work for someone that did this for a hobby so I don't care if his business goes under. And what must his wife be like if she was okay with this?

TC