Posted on 06/28/2005 4:23:57 PM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
An animal rights group wants the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach to gut its cafeteria menu of fish and seafood, arguing that "serving fish at an aquarium is like serving poodle burgers at a dog show."
Like Lilo in the animated "Lilo and Stitch," who refused to make a tuna sandwich for her friend, Pudge, a fish, because it would be "an abomination," the head of the Fish Empathy Project for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said serving fish at an aquarium just isn't right. "An institution with a mission that includes teaching people to respect and appreciate marine animals certainly shouldn't serve fish in its cafeteria," Karin Robertson wrote last week in a letter to Jerry Schabel, the aquarium's chairman and chief executive.
Robertson, who runs a website called fishinghurts.com, said recent studies have showed that fish are "intelligent, sensitive and interesting animals."
"Fish are far more intelligent than previously thought, and in some respects their cognitive abilities surpass those of dogs and some nonhuman primates," she wrote to Schabel. "The treatment of both commercially caught fish and fish from fish farms would warrant cruelty-to-animals charges in your state if animals we are more familiar with, like dogs and cats, were treated as badly."
Aquarium officials say they won't ban from their kitchens sustainable seafood, such as tilapia, farmed clams and wild-caught Alaskan salmon, that can be replenished through such means as fish farms. The facility said it co-sponsors a Seafood Watch program with the Monterey Bay Aquarium designed to educate the public about the types of fish that are safe to eat and those to avoid because they are endangered or are caught using methods harmful to other sea creatures.
"Like PETA, we are committed to animals and their conservation, and we appreciate that commitment," Schabel said in a statement Monday. She said some people coming to the aquarium "may want to eat seafood. Rather than eat seafood from unsustainable sources, we stand committed to offering them the alternative of eating only sustainable or environmentally friendly seafood."
The 1.25 million people who visit the aquarium each year can choose from an array of seafood dishes, including clam chowder, rainbow trout and catfish, as well as tilapia and salmon, said spokeswoman Marilyn Padilla.
Despite the aquarium's denying her request, Robertson said she will send letters to other aquariums around the country to point out what she calls the hypocrisy of their menus.
"They should be serving exclusively vegetarian food, not just for the health of their patrons but for the animals they contend to be supporting," she said Monday. "They don't sell elephant burgers at the zoo, and they shouldn't be selling fish at aquariums."
Mmmmmm, ELEPHANT burgers!
What sort of neandertal would serve "poodle burger?" Poodle is best done as poodle chops sauteed in butter served over rice.
Think you can get a steak at a stock show? I'll bet you can.
Sometimes all I can do is shake my head.
No, it's akin to serving hamburgers at a 4-H show.
A lot like chicken, I assume.
30 minutes latter, when it looked done, I moved it to a plate and pulled off the skin and most of the gray fat underneath. Then I chilled it and just ate half. Perfect!
Send this along to any PETA members you might know. If fact maybe we should compile a Freeper cookbook for PETA.
LOL!!!
Very good Kent... should be a FR classic. :)
Only when compared to animal-rights wackos.....
LMAO, any good gourment chef knows that poodle is best served as a stew over polenta!
No pictures of Pam??? What is her opinon about this, LMAO!!!
MMMMM, dog stuffed with rice, yummy!
Great tagline!!!!
P.S. I believe Great Dane tastes like chicken!
Mmmmm, poodle...
MMMMM, elephant soup, tastes just like chicken noodle, think I'll whip up a batch!!! How 'bout grilled elephant, great for 4th of July celebrations!
Don't forget that tasty dish Poodle Parmasian.
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