Republic of Boulder goes to the Birds
While the "Republic of Boulder" is a wonderful place, we can be a bit "full" of ourselves at times ... and this letter I wrote to the local paper pretty much sums it up.
I got a good chuckle out of reading about the 39 chickens, dressed in red vests and capes, set loose in Fairview High School for the Senior Prank. Vanessa Miller reports that the Humane Society is planning a full investigation with the possibility of 39 misdemeanor counts, each punishable by a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail for letting these birds roam free in the school. And the Principal is quoted saying: "The vast majority of students were concerned about the chickens and their welfare" although I have to wonder just how scientific that survey was.
Fortuitously, on the front page of the Business section, Alicia Wallace has an article headlined "Wild Oats opens the cage; Grocery to sell eggs only from cage-free chickens" in all of their 75 stores. While they express some concern about availability, the Humane Society assures them there will be a ready supply.
But just in case there is a shortage of cage-free eggs, I'm sure that the Republic of Boulder is ready to turn Fairview High School into a giant free-range chicken farm. And perhaps instead of being fined and serving jail time, the Senior Prankers will be hailed as community hero's for contributing to the higher education of chickens ... since perhaps we don't have enough bird brains around town!
I got a good chuckle out of reading about the 39 chickens, dressed in red vests and capes, set loose in Fairview High School for the Senior Prank. Vanessa Miller reports that the Humane Society is planning a full investigation with the possibility of 39 misdemeanor counts, each punishable by a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail for letting these birds roam free in the school. And the Principal is quoted saying: "The vast majority of students were concerned about the chickens and their welfare" although I have to wonder just how scientific that survey was.
Fortuitously, on the front page of the Business section, Alicia Wallace has an article headlined "Wild Oats opens the cage; Grocery to sell eggs only from cage-free chickens" in all of their 75 stores. While they express some concern about availability, the Humane Society assures them there will be a ready supply.
But just in case there is a shortage of cage-free eggs, I'm sure that the Republic of Boulder is ready to turn Fairview High School into a giant free-range chicken farm. And perhaps instead of being fined and serving jail time, the Senior Prankers will be hailed as community hero's for contributing to the higher education of chickens ... since perhaps we don't have enough bird brains around town!
posted at 6/02/2005 06:53:00 AM
23 Comments:
I think they should be commended for freeing those chickens from certain death, chickens have right to as long as there is a ready supply of cage free birds and eggs at Wild Oats.
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Fantastic article covering some points I really needed. Thanks
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Thank you very much for this Article, i like to read you blogposts
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Lol, as if the students were really concerned about the welfare of the chickens? And, the chickens were really not in danger. Perhaps the humane society is really a little too serious sometimes. While we don't like to see animals abused, this is hardly animal abuse. They perhaps need to take things a little less seriously, and rather take care of real issues and real inhumane problems.
Good letter though! Perhaps the students should be praised now!
Fantastic article covering some points I really needed. Thanks
I got a good laugh from the story myself. It's clear, though, that they're playing double standards. The students let the chickens run free – and they have a problem? He he. So, yes, they dressed them up. Not one chicken was hurt. And the students all had a good laugh. I'd say they really have gotten full of themselves – in fact, I hope they totally loose the case against the students. No one can have ANY fun anymore, even innocent fun is no longer allowed? Why? Because of some poor grumpy people, the minimum amount of the population.
They perhaps need to take things a little less seriously, and rather take care of real issues and real inhumane problems.
I am not sure I understand what you mean?
While we don't like to see animals abused, this is hardly animal abuse
Thanks
I agree with the above poster, this is HARDLY animal abuse. At least these chickens got to roam free for a day!
I'd enjoy a school where chickens can run free. No doubt, though, that they probably would eventually be abused.
I don't know why they're so up in arms about this. This was honestly all in good fun, and the chickens were obviously not hurt. Perhaps they just need to be a little less serious, and just start enjoying their lives again! Sometimes people take things just a tad too far – from both angles.
Don’t they have more serious problems than those chickens and other poultry matters? Aren’t they concerned about better quality of education, enough supply of food in a more convenient grocery shop, and all? It’s really a waste of time relating the welfare of students with these chickens unless the chickens give a great impact in their economy and income.
Based on your story, we have several problems to consider here:
1. Poultry animals coming from nowhere are ‘attacking’ places and people.
2. Community people are not capable of controlling animals resulting to illness and other occurrence of untoward incidents.
3. How to control animals so they won’t interfere in the everyday activities of the people.
Is this what you mean?
I wonder how they can 'assure' there will be a steady supply. What if people start demanding cage-free chicken eggs more than they can handle? Will they just buy more chickens? Or will they rather turn down the increasing orders (first come, first serve) or will they compromise on some end and put the chickens in some sort of mass production system?
Me thinks that it will probably be the latter... it's just like the green products. At some point, they won't keep up with demand... and then what do they do?
good articel! nice work!
Really this is very important topic.
This type of topic is very few i have read. People will learn something form this.
Thank you very much. Was an informative article. I congratulate the author and the site manager
They perhaps need to take things a little less seriously, and rather take care of real issues and real inhumane problems.
Good letter though! Perhaps the students should be praised now!
Caged hens are the most overlooked creatures on earth. From a chickens point of view there short time 'on earth' was an horrible experience. About 55 years ago I worked for a rather nice man who bought ex-battery birds to kill and re-sell. It was my job with two others to kill them and being a young person [15] it never occurred to me that a life was involved, theirs, I accepted we ate chickens and what was needed to be done was 'normal'. Its not normal to keep chickens behind bars, to keep 6-8 in one small cage, to feed them sparingly to increase your profits, and to never allows them out for even 24 hours. The students meant no harm - but I can assure you rounding up chickens by hand is highly stressful for them. It would have been nice to say many of the students adopted a chicken and give it a good home? And made pets of them?
The students did a good deed. I love animals and will always do as the students did.
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