7yr old boy in zoo havoc - quite worrying...

[daizydoo]

zoo havoc

It's quite scary how blood thirsty a 7yr old boy can be, just glad he didn't get hurt though...

good god!

I didn't fry the caterpillars. I found my 8 year old step brother creating the most awful stink when he got about 12 of them in a frying pan. 'Orrible.

I'm really not convinced it is rational and sane to want to kill and torture animals for fun or 'sport'. I would condemn adults for doing it, for sure. Big White Hunter syndrome.

Oh that article is upsetting. People saying that children who broke into a zoo and attacked animals should be hanged??? That makes me want to cry. People are deranged. They are children and they are members of a species with a natural hunting and killing instinct, especially in young males.

Yes that instinct needs to be controlled and redirected but that is everyone's job. That's why we have sport. That's why children play-fight. If things go wrong and an incident like this happens, the child needs rehabilitation and proper guidance. As that article went on to say - learning to care for and understand zoo animals is the ideal way forward. Not convictions for children. Outrageous.

Yes hunting is horrible. Though I was horrible to spiders as a child, I am very empathatic now and couldn't bear to shoot an animal.

But the fact is, people do it. Are they rational and sane? - that's up for debate. But it's bloody widespread and I don't see many news articles saying "Psychopathic evil 47-year-old banker tortures fox/pheasant/fish to death" and people in the street muttering "he should be hanged".

FFS. Wake up the the reality about what humans do to animals, every day, then judge this child.

some stuff here about kids who torture/kill animals

There was an piece on radio 4 the other day about links between animal abuse and people. I think the RSPCA sometimes report things they might note of concern when visiting a property.

They said there hadn't been enough studies yet though, and one family had been quizzed by social services on the basis of animal treatment rather than any obvious signs. Tricky area.

They're probably thinking that if he's done this at aged 7 what will he do at 17.

I dont agree that he should be hanged (what is this? the Dark Ages?).

Sounds like he could do with a few psychotherapy sessions though.

Who mentioned hanging?

Children are often cruel to animals, insects and so on, Im sure they're not all developing psychopathic tendencies but there are levels to it.

I have to say I do not recall burning anything under a microscope.

omg!how on earth did he manage all that-breaking in,doing what he did and being a brat at age 7??where were his parents?wheres the zoos security?

I think Terry needs second helpings. A 7-yr old boy sized portion.

WTF were his parents doing? Taking doting photos of his antics? Sort of animal happy-slapping

Zoo have now realised that doors should be locked when zoo not open, and have reinforced the chicken wire around the largest reptiles.

There may be a link, I can see that. But what I'm saying is that this is a natural urge for many little boys, and perhaps those that grow up to be psychopaths are the ones who aren't getting proper parenting, so their urges get free rein. And what about criminalising children who do this a the age of 10 or even younger, so that they see themselves as criminals and know they will never be normal? They end up in institutions, get further and further away from good role models and it all goes tits up.

OK I am a bleeding heart liberal, I admit it. But I really bridle at hearing a child called evil because of natural urges when adults do this too and aren't splashed all over the headlines for it. The fact is, society rationalises hunting and cruel sports and turns a blind eye to them (well most people do, obviously there are some campaigners). Why - to make sure there is an outlet for people to satisfy their urge to victimise and kill animals.

I think it will be terribly sad for this child to be labelled evil and possibly become a self-fulfilling prophecy when he should be taken in hand with firm boundaries and shown how to deal with animals. If he likes feeding the croc he should perhaps be taken to do it the correct way and look after the animals - with close supervision - to address his fascination. that's what I would do if I was that zoo. I'm serious.

In the article AnarchyAunt linked to, people in the street bayed for children to be hanged because they had broken into a zoo and killed some wallabies.

Meat-eaters some of them I presume

I think this child, and his family need some help.

Seems as though he has a few loose connections. It's frightening tbh, bearing in mind the link between childhood violence to animals and violence to people later on.

No, of course children shouldn't be hanged. Nobody said that on here, did they? Did I miss that bit? I know they did in the linked article.

But the boy's behaviour should be judged and evaluated to make sure that well, he doesn't grow up to be any sicker than the rest of the animal torturing sicksters out there. Erm, right then.

Yes but see that link in context. It might not mean "some people are born psychopaths, they torture animals and then they become murderers". It might actually mean "as animals we all have a hunting/killing instinct, especially boys - socialisation should rein it in and redirect it appropriately. But in children who are not given that guidance it can break out in cruel acts and without rehabiliation those same children will not ever learn how to rein in their urges and so are more likely to be violent as adults". I don't know, but I think that's one pretty obvious possibility - and far more likely than that the child is just "evil".

So the point is that how we react to a child doing this is of utmost importance. Labelling and condemning them is probably the most surefire way to breed a murderer for later on.

No I wasn't saying anybody said that on here - but that he is being judged for doing, in an uncontrolled 7yo way, only what many, many adults do in an approved and sanctioned way.

I really have got sucked in and must away now.

Would be a lot more worrying if he was 17; at 7 it is clearly the parents who are at fault. TBH it seems a bit hypocritical to react so strongly to this; though it was cruel and very sad, how many zoos, safari parks etc use feeding time for the crocodiles, sharks, lions etc. as an attraction? Most of them. In this case most of the meal was still alive, but even so....it sounds like a 7 years old boy would find it exciting, and he needs a good telling off, punishment and parental guidance over what is and what is not acceptable.

BigMouth, I knew a man who used to do that, you aren't from Cheshire are you?!

Sorry, but that familly is going to need a LOT of help. He must already be known as a difficult child from his time at school.
Just hope they do sort him out, don't want to hear about any murderers in the future and saying it was the boy who fed the crocodile! .

surely this has been reported wrong. A 7 YO takes HALF AN HOUR to break in (scaling security fences) and feed or lead the animals to the crocodile (which i am assuming he wouls have had to walk around teh zoo to do) AND bludgeon the others?

No Deedledum (grew up in Northamptonshire and Leeds) my Dad was a scouser and knew many many monologues/ folk songs and liked to bore entertain us with them. sorry off topic!

I am sure this boy is thoroughly unpleasant but I am not comfortable with labelling him a psycho - and I am a veggie who has been very involved with animal rights in the past!

Horrible child

If he were mine I would be looking for some kind of child exchange programme