BONSAI KITTENS
alkgh;al june 2001

So today I checked my e-mail and, *gasp*, I've received a net petition. Again. Now, I have no problem with net petitions--I usually  just read through them breifly and then delete them. I'm sorry, but after hearing about sick seven-year-old children fifty times, I get sick of caring when I strongly suspect that they're wholely fake. You want me to sign the petition, you give me a e-mail or a phone number so I can check if there actually is a sick little kid with cancer or something such. Anyway.

So I received this petition about bonsaid kittens; cats living out their lives in undersized glass jars, feeding and going to the bathroom through tubes. I truely have to wonder if this thing is a joke. The main page of the web site (www.bonsaikitten.com) meows at you when you load it. It *meows*. I read through the web site, and some of the stuff is...strange. At first I was actually physically sick. I especially like the lines "Your mental health is one of the most precious gifts you have -- don't you owe it to yourself and your family to make the switch to a Bonsai Kitten today? As a public service in response to this newly-discovered health risk, for a limited time we will be offering free disposal of your dangerous old cat with each purchase of a Bonsai Kitten -- please contact us for drop-off details." (It's on the news section, where they said that there's something in cat feces that can infect the human brain, causing illness and damage.)

I was totally about to sign that petition! Seriously, this attrocity has to be stopped! There are innocent creaters in need of our protection, and anyone willing to put them through such touture is pure evil. I'd put down my name, location, and a message stating my disgust at this practice, when I had a thought (and no, it didn't hurt much!). It went something along the lines of: "Well, realistically, it's not that differant than what we do to animals. Putting them in jars; putting them in cages. No freedom either way. And look what we do to those poor rain forest animals--the macaws and such. Really, who am I to stand on high moral ground? I eat beef--some cultures find that disgusting." It got me thinking. Why do we, as humans, interfer so much in each other's lives? We stive to make the world a better place, right? But how do we know where we ourselves stand in comparison to everybody else, if everybody has a differant set of morals and ethnics? When can we take a stand and say that "this" isn't right, and when is it a case of cultrual differances.

It's a bit of a debate. I remember that quote from that guy (I can't remember who it was ^_^;) which basically said that you can't let evil do what it wants, you've gotta stand up and that will be the way that the world will be better. That's true, I think, but I'm not an animal rights activist. I love animals; I have two cats, I love them to bits! But my respect for differant cultures surpasses my love of animals. That's just me. Personally, I choose not to push my ethnics onto anyone else. That is, in the case of these bonsai kittens, I'm not going to go knocking on this company's door and demand that they stop making these kittens. I will, however, protest bring them to America because I live here, and I would abesolutely hate for bottled pets to become a trend. And because I repest people's differant opinions, I'm posting up a copy of the e-mail petition that I received. So if you feel more strongily than I do about these bonsai kittens, you can just pick up where I choose not to. (Look! Beidy's nice--she even took the time to take out the annoying horde of >>>> marks!)

To anyone with love and respect for life:

In New York there is a Japanese who sells "bonsai-kittens". Sounds
like fun huh? NOT! These animals are squeezed into a bottle. Their
urine and feces are removed through probes. They feed them with a
kind of tube. They feed them chemicals to keep their bones soft and
flexible so the kittens grow into the shape of the bottle. The
animals will stay their as long as they live. They can't walk or
move or wash themselves. Bonsai-kittens are becoming a fashion in
New York and Asia.

See this horror at: http://www.bonsaikitten.com

Please sign this email in protest against these tortures. If you
receive an email with over 500 names, please send a copy to:
anacheca@hotmail.com
From there this protest will be sent to USA and Mexican animal
protection organizations. If you send this to your friends: Use the
copy/paste method in an NEW email to keep this
readable....

 1.-Ana Check Mexico, D.F..
 2.-Manolo Alert Mexico, D.F.
 3.-Alberto>Huerta Mexico,D.F.
 4.-Manuel Gutierrez Mexico, D.F.
 5.-Marco Zapata Madrid
 6.-Teresa Morato Mexico,D.F.
 7.-Ximena Goyenechea Mexico, D.F.
 8.-Larissa Lara México, D.F.
 9.-Marina Arencibia, Venezuela
10.-Ana Maria Carvajal, Venezuela
11.-Edgard D'Angelo, Venezuela
12.-Claudia Marquez, Venezuela
13.-Derek Ludovic, Venezuela
14.-Rodolfo Placencia, Venezuela
15.-Marbella Caceres, Venezuela
16.-Maria Cristina Caceres, Venezuela
17.-Ana C.Castro, venezuela
18.-Victoria Sanchez,Venezuela
19.-Maria Editha Valdeavellano, Chile
20.-Patricio Valdeavellano, Chile
21.-Reinaldo Lopez, Venezuela
22.-Paula Aedo, Chile
23.-Constanza Carrasco, Chile.
24.-Cecilia Noton, Chile
25.-Carlos Eduardo Briones Bolbaran, Chile
26.-Ximena Al! ejandra BrionesBolbaran, Chile
27.-Pamela Andrea Roa Alarcon, Chile
28.-Gabriela Beatriz Christiny Guajardo, Chile
29.-Magdalena Amenabar Iniguez, Chile
30.-Indra Soledad Kleinhempel Valladares, Chile
31.-Monica Marisol Moreno Muga, Chile
32.-Pilar Rebolledo,Chile
33.-Andrea Villagra, Chile
34.-Claudia Jerez, Chile
35.-Erna Zagal, Chile
36.-Andrea Munoz, Chile
37.-Jacqueline Mateluna, Chile
38.-Beatriz Crovetto, Chile
39.-Carinne Santana, Chile
40.-Angélica Bendaña,Chile
41.-Isabel Olivares, Chile
42.-Max Aguilera, Chile
43.-María José Molina, Chile
44.-Alejandra Fuentealba, Chile
45.-Tamara Huanquel, Chile.
46.-Paulina Garcés, Chile
47.-Carmen Gloria Muñoz,Chile
48.-María Soledad Cofré, Chile
49.-Sergio Antoine, Chile
50.-Maria Jose Espinoza, Chile
51.-Alejandra Bauerle, Chile
52.-Ximena Chau, Chile
53.-Doris Rubio, Chile
54.-Heidi Acevedo, Chile
55.-Claudia Acevedo, Chile
56.-Maria Elena Vergara, Chile
57.-Sandra Soto
58.-Elizabeth Molina
59.-Paula Rios
60.-Rodrigo Gajardo
61.-Andrea Solari
62.-Paula Baranda
63.-Guillermina de la Jara
64.-Monserrat Gajardo
65.-Paola Croma
66.-Erika Leiva
67.-Luis Bravo
68.-Ximena Cruz, Chile
69.-Marcela Serey, Chile
70.-Ismael Serey, Chile
71.-Luisa Torres, Chile
72.-Luis Gómez, Chile
73.-Loreto Valenzuela, Chile
74.-Lorena Tapia, Chile
75.-Antonia Fortt,Chile
76.-Fernando A. Vivanco, Wisconsin, USA
77.-Gisela León, Chile
78.-Andrea León, Chile
79.-Lorena Calleja, Chile.
80.-Rossana Cerecera, Chile.
81.-HUGO VERA,CHILE
82.-Elena Mena,Puerto Rico
83.-Vangie Vallés, Puerto Rico
84.-Ana Maria Alvarez Cartaña Puerto Rico
85.-KARINNA RODRÍGUEZ,MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
86.-Antonio Viera Vecchio, Montevideo, URUGUAY
87.-Carlos Vigliola, Montevideo, URUGUAY
88.-Jorge Savecki, Montevideo, URUGUAY
89.-Bianca Koch, São Paulo, BRASIL
90.-Evandro Cordova da Silva, São Paulo, Brasil
100.-Rodrigo Bertolani, São Paulo, Brasil
101.-Ri cardo Leonardi Fernandes, São Paulo, Brasil
102.-Daniella Costa Neri, São Paulo, Brasil
103.-Patricia R. Futema, São Paulo, Brasil
104.-Adelina Lourenço de Oliveira, São Paulo, Brasil
105.-Maria Cristina R. Mucciolo, São Paulo, Brasil
106.-Caroline Bittencourt, SP, BRASIL
107.-Rodrigo Ceriquera, SP,Brasil
108.-Caroline Musselli, SP, Brasil
109.-Andrea Corrêa, SP, Brail
110.-Adriane Costa e Rocha Ciaffone, SP, Brasil
111.-Daniela Siqueira Costa Rocha, SP, Brasil
112.-Cláudia Eliana Perin Bertoni, SP, Brasil
113.-Anna Paula de Britto Colacino - SP -Brasil
114.-Michelle Susan Wright - SP - Brasil
115.-Flávia Cordovil - SP - Brasil
116.-Regina Rodrigues - SP - Brasil
117.-Elizabeth M-Ramalho MI - US
118.-Gerson Amado - SP _ Brasil
119.-Gislene Guimarães- SP_Brasil
>120.-Fabiano Tricarico - SP_Brasil
121.-JORGE FALCÃO-BA-Brasil
122.-Jacques Chachamovitz-SP-Brasil
123.-Thais Helena Medeiros-SP-Brasil
124.-Sandra Regina Miguel - Brazil
125.-Kelly Cristina Brito - Brazil
126.-Daniela Marques Silva - Brasil
127.-Camila do Nascimento - Brasil
128.-Eliane de Lima Davrius - Brasil
129.-ElaineJordão - São Paulo - Brazil
130.-Alessandro de Souza e Silva - PR - Brazil
131.-Monique Mueller Bianco - PR - Brazil
132.-Ana Letícia Kastrup -Curitiba - Brasil
133.-Cristiano Dionísio - Brazil
134.-Giovana Kucaniz - Brasil
>135.-André Ramiro - Brasil
136.-Lis Weingartner - Brasil
137.-Patrícia Drummond Gonçalves - Brasil
138.-Patrícia de Lima Papini - Brasil
139.-Giovana Papini de Sousa-Brasil
140.-Liesbet Bex - Belgium
141.-Tournel Stijn Belgium
142.-Katja van Helvert - Belgium
143.-Chris Grauls -Belgium
144.-Walter Scheelen - Belgium (19-may-2001)
145.-An Van Dam - Belgium
146.-Tim Poesmans - Belgium
147.-Bart Dedecker - Belgium
148.-Vanessa ! Vancoillie - Belgium
149.-Davy Vanoutryve - Belgium
150.-Sarah Desmet - Belgium
151.-Lien Meersdom - Belgium
152.-Alex Rommel - Belgium
153.-Bultynck Dries - Belgium
154.-Jelle Duvillier - Belgium
155.-Kurt Salembier
156.-Maaike Rigole - Belgium
157.-Bert Goffings - Maasmechelen - België
158.-Stefan Verheyen - Belgium
159.-Mieke Vanbrabant - Belgium
160.-Jo Bosman - Belgium
161.-Nicolas Wilmus - ook Belgium
162.-Evi Wilmus - Belgium
163.-erwin Verbruggen - België
164.-eva soontjens - België
165.-sarah>soontjens - België
166.-kayo vanderheggen ­ België
167.-Patrick Somers ­ België
168.-Beatrijs Cuypers ­ België
169.-Joke Somers ­ België
170.-Bert Somers ­ België
171.-Bram Somers ­ België
172.-Jasper Somers ­ België
173.-Sander Somers - België
174.-Roland van Dyk - Belgium
175.-Lieve van Dyk -Belgium
176.-Hilda Cuypers - Belgium
177.-Sweeck Joey - Belgium
178.-Sweeck Ken - Belgium
179.-Van Endert Luc - Belgium
180.-David Patricia - Belgium
181.-haesevoets Johan - Belgium
182.-Ronald Machiels ­ Belgium
183.-Wim Theys- Belgium
184.-Danny Hilven - Begium
185.-Peter Janssens-Belgium
186.-Deelkens carine- Belgium
187.-Emmers michel- Belgium
188.-Emmers sven- Belgium
189.-emmers yves-Belgium
190.-Mellaerts felicie-Belgium
191.-Deelkenslouis-Belgium
192.-Deelkens Eddy-Belgium
193.-Deelkens Veronique
194.-Berghmans Willy - Belgium
195.-Voeten illse - Netherlands
196.-Burger Roel - Netherlands
197.-Burger Roland - Netherlands
198.-Burger Ine - Netherlands
199.-Arthur van Haarlem - Netherlands
200.-Leeann Goodrich- South Australia
201.-PeterHower Sth Australia
202.-Kim Farrows - South Australia
203.-Tracey Farrows -South Australia
204.-Keelia - South Australia
205.-Bridie Hutton- SouthAustralia
206.-Emma Vercoe - South Austr! alia,
207.-Joel Andersen - n.s.w australia,
208.-Analisa Dawes - Washington, USA,
209.-Andrea Ruud- Washington USA
210.-Jade Knipe-Washington USA
211.-Emily Koehn- Iowa USA
212.-Nicole Smith- Texas, USA
213.-Jennifer Griffin, FortWorth,TX
214.-Jessica Broekstra,Connecticut, USA
>215.-Shelly LeBlanc, Louisiana, USA
216.-Tasia Hill, California, USA
217.-Carmen Mobberly, Maryland, USA
218.-Özge Olcay, Ankara, Turkey
219.-Julia Stewart-Arkansas, USA
220.-Paige Klein-Utah, USA
221.-Kelly Robinson-Arizona, USA
222.-Gina Timmons-Montana, USA
223.-Beth Rising- Louisiana, USA
>224.-Samantha Marble, Massachusetts, USA
225.-Krystal Weaver, Pennsylvania, USA
226.-Alicia Gregory, Alberta, Canada
227.-Melanie D. Quebec, Canada
228.-Marie P. Quebec, Canada
229.-Maggie C. PA, USA
230.-Shawna C. ID,USA
240.-Valerie D. NJ, USA
241.-Meghan Parish Texas, USA
242.-Erika M. IN, USA
243.-Sarah S. TX, USA
244.-Ashley B. OK, USA
245.-Amanda A. OK, USA
246.-Li R. Berkshire, UK
247.-Nancy C. Stychek, USA
248.-Desiree N. Conway, USA
[::] 249.-Jayde Glazzard, UK

Misc.