Written by PETA
After allowing a lion named Casimiro—who had spent nearly three decades in captivity—to suffer an agonizingly slow and painful death, a zoo in Maturín, Venezuela, is now reportedly planning to acquire several new lions to "replace" Casimiro. This would sentence another generation of lions—smart and sensitive animals who long to be free—to the frustration, boredom, and loneliness of life in a barren concrete cell.
Well, not if María Conchita Alonso has anything to say about it. The actor and former Miss Venezuela has fired off a letter on behalf of PETA to Maturín Mayor José Vicente Maicavares, writing the following:
"I have seen the photographs of Casimiro that were reportedly taken prior to his death. They show him wasting away in a tiny cell on a filthy concrete floor while covered with raw wounds and open sores. It devastates me to know that the beautiful country that I grew up in would allow this to happen, and I am even more alarmed by the fact that it could happen again if you don't intervene."
Of course, this isn't the only zoo where animals have suffered and died because of disrespect for their nature, blatant neglect, inadequate living environments, or improper care. Please join María in objecting to the suffering that animals like Casimiro endure in captivity by refusing to set foot inside zoos and urging everyone you know to do the same. You can also write a polite letter to the mayor to encourage him to use his influence to urge the zoo to forgo any future lion displays:
The Honorable José Vicente Maicavares| Mayor of Maturín Palacio Municipal, entre Av. Bolívar y Azcúe Piso 1 Maturín, Venezuela
Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post
Biotic egalitarianism. When the human animal realizes that as the apex consumer, everything on this planet sustains our species, and really believes it, we may change. Until then, every species not us, flora and fauna, is under siege. Many creatures die alone, but in a zoo!! Not one of those professional, trained, zoo-focused persons took a look, felt compassion, concern, responsibility. Oh, right. Just steal or buy another lion. Slavery is not dead. My species makes me cringe.
These zoos must be stopped. Lions must roam free to KILL OTHER ANIMALS!... in the hospitality of their natural environment.
The photos were just downright horrible. I can't believe someone could let things get this bad. This just goes to show that people without compassion live in all parts of the world.
How can this happen? Like literally, how can it happen? Did those barbarians not feed the poor guy? He didn't even look that old; he had no mane for crying out loud! Zoos are horrible to start out with, but this is a disgrace! I literally gasped when I saw the photo of poor Casimiro, the poor creature, he was literally a bag of bones. Disgraceful actions on our part. Shame.
Dear Mayor~
I beg you to help this helpless animals and use your influences to forgo any future displaying of lions in the zoo. With sincere thanks!!!
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