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Celebrity Winner Faces Rat Killing Charge

31 replies

purepurple · 06/12/2009 09:41

Because they were 'hungry' they killed and cooked a rat.
Now the Aussies have set a date for a hearing for animal cruelty charges.
web.orange.co.uk/article/news/celebrity_winner_faces_rat_killing_charge
Isn't that a bit over the top though?
It was only a rat.
I have never watched this programme, so I don't even know if it's true. I just think this story is a bit weird.
It also says in the report that the hearing is in Feb 2009. I wonder if they have a time machine?

OP posts:
minko · 06/12/2009 09:56

Ridiculous story. Good on them for subsiding on the available err, natural resources!

VirginPeachyMotherOfSpod · 06/12/2009 09:57

PMSL

I do hope its not truew but rats? really? Don't most people pay for them to die?

2shoes · 06/12/2009 10:22

whta about all the other animals killed for the trials

ImSoNotTelling · 06/12/2009 10:30

In UK rats are vermin you are allowed to kill them.

alwayslookingforanswers · 06/12/2009 17:24

you're also allowed to kill them Australia according to that link........

So this is due to the fact that they view it as a "performance" - presumably if they'd done it off camera and viewers were then told "this is a rat they killed for their dinner that they're eating now" they would be ok with it?

Katz · 06/12/2009 17:26

what about the hundreds of other animals that are harmed in the making of this 'show'?

OrmIrian · 06/12/2009 17:27

I think it's quite reasonable. The animal was not killed for food, it was killed for entertainment. These tossers are't actually starving, they are in a reality TV show. Now if there really were likely to suffer privations it might be worth watching

girlsyearapart · 06/12/2009 17:39

loads of bugs and creepie crawlies die in the trials.. what's the difference?

mrmellors · 06/12/2009 18:32

Personally I'm more bothered by the bugs and such that are eaten live purely for entertainment. At least the rat RIP was an enjoyable supper.

Hulababy · 06/12/2009 19:03

Isn't it Ray Mears who, when doing his survivla shows, often kills animals to eat? Why is this different?

VirginPeachyMotherOfSpod · 06/12/2009 20:51

I think mrmellors pretty much sums up where I stand

For food (and I don't think you need to be starving, though apaprnelty they were in the deprivation campp- Imissed ythose episodes though) is OK (as long as its nort tiortured or anything), for fun isn't,the bugs etc really do bother me.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 06/12/2009 21:00

I think this is just weird.

A wild animal was killed and eaten. Big deal.

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 06/12/2009 21:08

They are relatively starving, though -- contestants lose loads of weight while on the show. Now admittedly instead of killing and eating a rat they could have walked out of the show and gone to a posh hotel where they could have paid someone else to kill a cow for them to eat instead, but I don't see a big moral rat/cow distinction.

wannaBe · 06/12/2009 21:44

I think the ausi's are trying to make a point, that being that they perhaps don't like these jumped up has-beens coming into their jungles and being paid to destroy their fawna in the name of entertainment, and I think they're quite right.

Especially as I don't believe any of it is real and that there's no way they're actually starving out there...

ISawTortoiseFuckingSantaClaus · 06/12/2009 21:46

Saw this one the news earlier. I did hear them mention it was a tame rat so maybe not a wild one.
Still still to charge them over it. They could face up to 3 yrs in jail!

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 06/12/2009 21:52

Ah, now that's different. If the rats are brought in for the making of the programme, then yes, i can see the argument from the RSPCA.

OrmIrian · 07/12/2009 08:26

A tame one?

Right I want them lined up and shot right now! A tame rat wouldn't even know it had to run away

VirginPeachyMotherOfSpod · 07/12/2009 11:12

Well I would see it differently if the contestants knew it was a tame rat.

And I suspect that the Producers would have had time to warn them with their coverage being what it is (how much filming of that existence must you need to get an hour's viewing?) so it should be them up for it instead.

alwayslookingforanswers · 07/12/2009 11:22

I too would see it differentl it was a tame one.

Although - as peachy just says - they showed one hour a day on the TV....

The producers aren't being pulled up over it, but the contestants involved are - as they feel it was "done for performance" (as far as I have read that's what the issue is) - so if that's the case why aren't the producers getting pulled up about it? As Peachy says they'd have had a chance to tell them/do something/choose NOT to show that bit on the TV........

Lauriefairyonthetreeeatscake · 07/12/2009 11:26

Yep, killing a tame rat makes it different imo.

I wouldn't be impressed at someone chowing down on my spaniel cos they were a bit peckish

ImSoNotTelling · 07/12/2009 12:03

The only way this story makes any sense is if the producers told the slebs to do it.

Otherwise it seems highly unlikely that the combination of events - them deciding to try and catch something to eat, looking around, finding the exact one rat which had been put there (why and by who?) and doing the deed.

Surely either it was a wild rat, or they were given a tame one and told to kill it. In which case it was either fine (IMO), or it is the producers who should be up for cruelty.

girlsyearapart · 07/12/2009 13:00

I saw that episode.

From what I saw they arrived in the basic camp and there were rats running about. On the 2nd or 3rd night of living on rice and beans the gorgeous Gino killed and cooked a rat.

If there was a problem with it the producers would've had time to stop him as it was discussed beforehand.

I would have more of a problem with it if it was tame too though.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 07/12/2009 22:01

Right, hold your horses.

It wasn't tame.

The problem is that they asked in advance and were given permission. That's why it's considered part of the entertainment. i think.

here

alwayslookingforanswers · 07/12/2009 22:02

hang on according to that the producers said ok......so how is it the contestants' fault??

Curiousmama · 07/12/2009 22:05

It should be the producers who are prosecuted if anyone.