Should We Be Putting Animals On Birth Control?
- Posted by: Siobhan O'Connor
- on March 27, 2009 at 3:22 pm
In other animal news, China has started putting supposedly overpopulated animals on the pill. A pill similar to the one ladies take is being used to curb the procreation of pikas, which are adorable rabbit-looking things that may be tearing up the countryside.
How to do it? Sprinkle the Tibetan soil with contraceptives that look like food, naturally. China’s state-run news agency reported that “one bite of the tempting bran-like pellet—and she’s lost an opportunity to be a mother. The pellets containing a specially developed contraceptive and abortion drug have been spread around northwest China’s Gurbantunggut Desert in a bid to control a destructive plague of gerbils.”
Never mind the inhumane-treatment-of-animals argument—what about the part where they’re putting presumably toxic chemicals in the freaking soil? We’re assuming animal rights groups will be issuing statements soon. Environmental groups, too. Stay tuned.
DISCUSSION: 4 Comments
Would you rather neuter your pet or put birth control in their food? The second one sounds much less painful. What impact will this have on future gens of Pikas?
Ah Chinese government efficiency….”There’s been a slight drop in gerbil numbers since the program was
started, Du said, with about 11 gerbils now caught for every 100 traps
laid out. Previously, 12 gerbils was the average” From an AP article…Also The US has done this with pigeons…
Have they thought about the long term effects of this? Not only to the soil but what about the future for the pikas? Will they end up extinct years down the road because of this? It sounds like this was the easy way out, which is sadly all too common everywhere.
don’t forget, these chemicals can pass through animals and soil to our food. Same thing with antibiotics in meat products make it to our tables through the food chain. Not good.