Audra Dowling
FYS
19 November 2015
Rattlesnake Round Ups: A Killing for Sport
Rattlesnake round ups take place in seven states: Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Georgia, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. When they were first started it was to a horrible attempt to rid the area of rattlesnakes. Now they have turned into the amusement of the public with rattlesnake parts for sale, rides, vendors, and even a flea market in some places. People pay to go out and capture, torture and kill these animals. Most rattlesnakes are driven out of their dens with gasoline, then stored without water or food in horrible conditions, and tightly crammed into containers for transport and display at roundup events. Many snakes arrive starved, dehydrated, …show more content…
The justification of killing a misunderstood creature for entertainment and sport rises question on how ethical society is. How is it justified to kill and animal that benefits the environment when petitions would be passed around for a furry kitten that has no benefit?
Rattlesnake round ups had created a decline in the eastern diamond back and has caused other states to bring in snakes from Texas to supplement the decline in their state. Many animal groups have not gotten involved in the fight to end the cruelty to these animals because snakes are looked at to be a menace to society. In all reality for one rattlesnake bite the venom could save over 350 human lives.
Rattlesnake venom is used to create lifesaving medicine. Not only is their venom used in the anti-venom it is also used in medicines for high blood pressure, diabetes, and is even being tested for cancer treatment. But with a decline in these animals that lifesaving medicine will disappear with their lives. So is this entertainment worth …show more content…
People will crawl into sleeping bags, hold the coiled snake between their hands, kiss them, and much worse for the animals they will be thrown into an arena were people capture them with brute force and the throw them into a bag. People even stick these animals, who are still alive, in their mouth to bite them. If none of that is sickening enough people will kill the animal in front of you and allow you to buy the parts. You can even get your photo taken with them, after they have been put into a freezer so their mouths could be sewn shut and dropped off tables, kicked, and kept alive with broken ribs and no way to eat. These people will rip the fangs out before sewing the mouth shut, but anything goes for a memorable picture