Brigitte Bardot Scolds China For Killing SARS-Linked Civet Cats

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | January 9, 2004 | REUTERS and ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Scenic Sounds]

PARIS – The French actress Brigitte Bardot, an animal rights activist, yesterday slammed Chinese President Hu Jintao for the drowning and incineration of thousands of civet cats over fears they carried a new strain of SARS.

"The eradication methods these animals are put through are unacceptable, and they have easily and quickly been ideally targeted although no scientific research has yet identified which species is the first to have caught the virus," Bardot said in a letter to the president.

Health authorities began culling caged civets in wild animal markets in Guangdong province Monday after China announced its first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome since a world epidemic was declared beaten in July.

The civets were drowned in chemical disinfectant and their carcasses hauled away in metal containers for incineration.

Chinese health authorities said the virus in the SARS patient – a 32-year-old television producer in Guangdong – resembled a corona-virus found in civets, a local culinary delicacy.

However, state media reported Wednesday that the man had never eaten civet cat.

Bardot suggested the government was pre-emptively killing the civets to make up for its efforts to cover up the epidemic last year, which drew heavy international criticism.

Civets are mongoose-like animals found throughout Africa and Asia and only distantly related to the common house cat. Some species are ground-dwelling and omnivorous. The Chinese species tied to the SARS virus, the masked palm civet, lives in trees and eats oranges, papayas and mangos.

Other animals suspected of carrying the SARS virus and ordered slaughtered in China include raccoon dogs, a primitive canine with racoonlike facial markings, and three types of badgers.

[Scenic Sounds]

drowning and incineration of thousands of civet cats

For those of you who might not be familiar with civets:

Civet

For those of you who might not be familiar with Brigitte Bardot:

Brigitte Bardot
(Famous Animal Rights Activist)

[Support Free Republic]

[Cathryn Crawford]

Suddenly men are more interested in civet cats. :-)

[pikachu]

Civets are mongoose-like animals found throughout Africa and Asia and only distantly related to the common house cat. Some species are ground-dwelling and omnivorous. The Chinese species tied to the SARS virus, the masked palm civet, lives in trees and eats oranges, papayas and mangos. Other animals suspected of carrying the SARS virus and ordered slaughtered in China include raccoon dogs, a primitive canine with racoonlike facial markings, and three types of badgers.

Badgers? Badgers?! We don't need no stinking badgers

Why isn't Jabba de Bardot protesting about the badgers and racoon dogs too!

[PoorMuttly]

Brigitte Bardot bit my sister, y'know.

[Spok]

I don't believe that's a recent photo, is it?

[Scenic Sounds]

I don't believe that's a recent photo, is it?

For all I know, that civet could be dead by now. I don't when the photo was actually taken, but it's the first time I've seen it.

[xp38]

Cuteness is a major factor in the animal rights movement. I'll bet Bardot and all those other cute actresses like her don't have too many qualms killing spiders, flies or cockroaches in their abodes.

[sarasota]

Good heavens, the woman is now in her 60's or 70's. Quite a different look to her now.

[Cicero]

Not the Civet Cat

[gundog]

Why doesn't she act in her own country to stop the senseless slaughter of snails?

[Cathryn Crawford]

Listen, I'm tired of all this objectification of women. I'm going to protest.

Okay, that was my protest.

[Gal.5:1]

Hello animal rights activists(Bridgette)! Remember people? How about China's one child policy that results in forced abortions and dead infant girls? How about the torture, imprisonment, enslavement and execution of people who dare to not obey the government in, say, matters of religious association and practice? These activists elevate animals above people.

[ClintonBeGone]

GO BRIDGET GO! She was also pinched by the french (inciting racial hatred) when she critized the muslim practice of killing sheep.