Zootopia Dystopia

I’ve been to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. I’ve been to the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, the Bronx Zoo and the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan. I say all this because ironically I’m not a fan of zoos. I know they serve a scientific purpose and encourage curiosity but the animals suffer even when they’re treated well. I’ve never been to a zoo where I thought the animals looked like they were not depressed.

Years ago, I was at the San Diego zoo and saw a bald eagle in a cage. It looked straight at me as if it wanted to peck out my eyes. I wanted to tell it, “Hey, don’t blame me! I’m on your side!” The last zoo I visited was Disney World’s Animal Kingdom and have no plans to go to another.

Humans have to exert their control over the animals. It’s in the Bible, but I have the same negative reaction when I see a black bear with red tags on its ears. It seems so humiliating to the animal, if animals can be humiliated.