Donkey Basketball: Is It Animal Cruelty?

How can you make basketball more fun? Just add donkeys!

Donkey basketball is a popular annual event at the Snohomish High School in Washington. The donkeys themselves seem to have a good time, but not everybody's tickled at the fun:

But not everyone thinks it's fun and games. Animal rights activists quietly protested outside, saying it's simply cruel.

"The donkeys are pushed, kicked, shoved, and prodded to do something that is unnatural for them and confusing," said protester David Schirk.

Some say the event is bad enough, but having it at a school makes it worse.

"I think it sends a really bad message to children on how to raise them and cruelty to animals and to all beings, and what does that teach our children?" said protester Carol Guilbault.

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I went to a donkey basketball game in high school and no donkey was kicked, pushed, or abused in any way, shape, or form. They did, however, behave like their stubborn donkey selves, which is part of the joy of the event. These twits need to calm down and go look out for abused children or something.
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Do animals exist only for our amusement and exploitation? No, certainly not. The animals love this! What donkey wouldn't love to enter a crowded, noisy, brightly lit gym with a gibbering ape clutching its back? And think of the joy and excitement the donkey feels when it is happily chasing the ball, and hears the roars of laughter from the frenzied wild-eyed crowd?

(Wait...1...2...3..."felix is a jackass, so there!")
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I don't know how they can see this as cruel in the least.

Animal abuse and cruelty is a very real problem in our world, but when you flip out over non-issues like these it only de-legitimizes these efforts.
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Keeping cats locked inside your house, thus stifling their natural instinct to roam where they can kill and eat small birds and rodents only to be eaten by larger animals themselves is indeed cruel.
Most everything humans do when interacting with animals could be construed as cruelty. Donkey basketball hardy fits the bill for cruelty. Maybe the donkeys like the interaction with humans. People really need to stop putting human emotions onto animals.
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Over-reaction.
Gibbering ape, felix? If that's how the protestors see people, then maybe that might explain their lack of regard for human life and an over-zealous regard for animal welfare.

Next you'll be complaining about the dancing bears, or that we shouldn't throw kittens on the highway.
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Animals don't have rights! They cannot make moral decisions and therefore have no rights! Humans do have a right to treat them humanely, and from all indications these donkeys are cared for better than many humans. Animal rights activists are just so upset because when they look into the eyes of these donkeys they see a reflection of themselves.... a big jackass!
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What humans have is a responsibility, and a moral obligation, to take care of animals appropriately. Many countries have laws that prohibit the abuse of animals, but those animals don't have "rights" in the same way a human has rights.

emmakate, you should be less knee-jerk in your reactions.
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I played donkey basketball once several years ago. The donkeys were very sweet, and absolutely NOT kicked or mistreated by anybody.

And being their adorable, stubborn selves, they were totally in control of the entire game.
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Here it is straight from my activist style manual: "Humans are little more than gibbering apes. Refrain from referring to them as anything but." As for the kittens, that gets a green light from the Supreme Leader. The dancing bears are still being debated.
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"I am just a hippie animal lover"

The only dog eaters I've ever known were hippies I knew this hippie who ate my friend's dog and gave him back the pelt. I named that dog, and later used the pelt for a pillow. Hippie seems to be a pretty big umbrella. (vegans to dog eaters) I also know hippies who abhor guns, and other hippies who own several. I know hippies who are Maoist reds, and hippies who adore Ayn Rand. I think the only thing hippies have in common is they seem to accept the fact that they all disagree on just about everything except for just getting along with each other.
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I am well experienced with horses AND donkeys for that matter and I dont see how this could be a cruelty to animals in any form. Yes, horses play in all sorts of sports that include balls. Like polo for instance. If they're growling over this fun sport, they might as well band polo. For the rider must carry a long pole and hit a small ball around on the ground while riding a horse. This is just a fun activity that they want to ruin for kids.
If they want to growl at something. Why not growl at horseslaughter or globalwarming .. something other than this ridiculous attempt!
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Donkeys were created to carry burdensome loads over rough terrain, seems like if I were in their position, I'd rather play some basketball than that.

I'd still rather wathc donkey basketball than womens bastketball, ugh.
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"O God, who made me
to trudge along the road
always,
to carry heavy loads
always,
and to be beaten
always!
Give me great courage and gentleness.
One day let somebody understand me---
that I may no longer want to weep
because I can never say what I mean
and they make fun of me.
Let me find a juicy thistle---
and make them give me time to pick it.
And, Lord, one day, let me find again
my little brother of the Christmas crib."
Carmen Bernos De Gasztold, from "Prayers From the Ark"
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Donkey basketball? seriously? that is just stupid. Humans are created with hands and legs so they can live properly. some people are unfortunately born disabled. but for the one who are normal, they shouldn't be lazy, USE UR LEGS!!!
Do normal basketball, it is much healthier. instead of using adorable cuddly and PRECIOUS donkeys as your transportation just to run around the court. they should be in their natural habitat than a court.
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