There is a saying that goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” a Palestinian zoo may have had good intentions to declaw a 14-month old lioness, but many seem to believe this to be a cruel act and a violation of animal welfare and rights. The zoo owner, Muhammad Jumaa, and the veterinarian who performed the declawing do not agree, and seem morally unfazed by what they did. They explained it was done so that kids can play with the lioness. This all happened in the Gaza Strip, where there is a lack of proper veterinary facilities. Given this, the operation was performed right in the zoo premises. Falestine, the young lioness, was tranquilized, and then shrouded, before veterinarian Fayez al-Haddad clipped off her claws one at a time, before sewing her up. He used a pair of shears. He completed the job another day, subjecting the lioness to more pain. The Four Paws charity expressed disgust over the procedure, and explained it is similar to a person having their fingers cut up to their knuckles. Four Paws has tweeted that about 49 animals in the Rafah Zoo live under deplorable conditions. The declawing of the lioness prompted them to negotiate to close the zoo and bring an end to the sufferings of animals.
Even while the owner explains the “good intention” for declawing the animal, most believe it to be just a gimmick to bait people to visit the zoo and interact with the lioness. We all know that lions and other wild animals are not meant to be petted or played with. When their wild instinct kicks in, who knows what can happen. So they declawed the lioness, but she still has teeth which can savagely damage any kid or adult. So the reason for the declawing does not hold water. It was plain ignorance of animal rights and welfare. The owner of the zoo and the veterinarian should be criminally charged for their cruelty. Surely they are on the road to hell. What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
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