Vegetarian Network Victoria

[Missy]

This sort of stuff just should not still be happening... and in the US, at a festival celebrating Australia??

(just caught my eye on the ninemsn website, but I'm sure there's a better report of it elsewhere)

US festival 'uses roo in boxing show'

A red kangaroo that is goaded into fighting a human clown is the star attraction at a festival in the US designed to celebrate Australia.

The Daily Telegraph reports that the BorderFest festival in Hidalgo, Texas, features an event called Rocky Show Circus, involving two kangaroos and their owner, Javier Martinez, who dons the clownsuit.

The festival is sponsored by Kraft, the US owners of Vegemite.

The report says Mr Martinez baits the kangaroo by pushing it and poking it before placing it in a headlock.

If Rocky fights back too much, Mr Martinez's wife Sandra restrains it using a heavy tether attached to a harness around the animal's chest.

(from http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1022195/us-festival-uses-roo-in-boxing-show)

[Chaitanya]

i am continually saddened by australian's attitudes towards the beautiful kangaroo. i researched the industry for about a year a few years ago and worked at getting the campaign moving a bit more yet when i share with people about the plight of this amazing animal i find most are completely bull headed about eating kangaroo.

over the last 5 or 6 decades, australians have completely changed the population structure of targetted populations of kangaroos by shooting the biggest animals night after night. the alpha males were completely shot out in all target areas, resulting in smaller, quicker breeding males and a large proportion of the killed animals being females. for every female shot their pouch joey is 'disposed of' and joey at foot left to die. i could go on for a long time about this...if anyone is interested in what goes on send me an email @ templeofthesprout@gmail.com and i'll lay some of it out for you.

to see people exploiting any animals like in this circus is so strange to me, its like they are living in a totally different and completely backward reality....i pray that people wake up to the sacredness of the kangaroo, either that or that the industry is collapsed openly and brutally from overseas for all to see as quickly as possible. maybe both...shame australia shame.

may the kangaroos be protected, respected and free.