Scenarios
Scenario One:
It was recently discovered that a couple living in Somewhereville had over 20 greyhound racing dogs in their four room apartment. “The stench and filth were beyond words,” report one of the investigating deputies. Charged with animal cruelty the couple maintained that they only “adopted” greyhounds that were abandoned by their owners because they were no longer able to compete. “Otherwise they would be killed. We thought we were helping!” the couple said. Hearing this story on the radio prompted another couple, Mr. and Mrs. Little to donate $30,000 to the Somewhereville Animal Shelter to take in all of these dogs until they might be adopted by other families.
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Scenario Two:
The Anywhereville Newspaper recently reported the story about a race horse who had taken a fall during training. While the jockey suffered only minor damages, the horse broke its leg. The newspaper indicated that the horse would probably need to be put down due to the high cost in time and money it would require to nurse the horse back to health. A twelve year old horse lover, having read about the incident, wrote an editorial in the local newspaper begging for someone who might be interested and able to consider taking the horse. High Horse Farms located five miles outside Anywhereville read the 12 year old’s letter and agreed to “adopt” the horse and pay for its care.
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Scenario Three:
Aaron’s mom would not allow him to have or raise a show animal for the 4-H County Fair. “All my friends have something to show at the fair,” he pleaded. “Bart has a sheep, Amy a cow, Dawson a roster…” But despite Aaron’s efforts to change her mind, his mom held fast to her decision. Aaron decided that the only way he would probably ever “have” a show animal would be to become a volunteer at the locate Animal Shelter. Talking it over with his mom, Aaron now volunteers at the Animal Shelter two Saturday mornings a month. “It’s sort of like having my own “show animal”, except now I have a lot of them!” Aaron smilingly confessed. He is now trying to encourage his cousin, whose mother also refuses to allow her to raise a show animal, to come and join him on the Saturday’s he volunteers at the shelter.
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Scenario Four:
Mr. Winter’s 8th grade class read about the “dancing bears” of India. Kidnapped from their mothers at the age of 3-5 weeks, their very sensitive noses are pierced with an iron needle used to insert a “control rope” that when pulled on and a heavy stick is clapped, the bear is motivated to lift its legs and “dance” for money. Before the bear is one year old, its incisor and canine teeth are ripped out and sold as lucky charms. Even though this practice is “outlawed” by the Indian Wildlife Protection Act in 1972, in many places it continues as it has since it was instituted back in the 16th century, when bears were forced to dance for the entertainment and amusement of ruling classes. The sloth bears normal life expectancy is approximately thirty years in its natural living environment. Sadly, India’s dancing bears barely ever live past the age of eight. Once the bear is captured and tamed, it can never be returned to the wild. The only possible answer for these poor creatures is retirement in a sanctuary. If this horrible form of entertainment continues, this beautiful species will surely become extinct. Mr. Winter’s class decided to compose a letter to send the government of India and attach 1000 signatures to it encouraging the Indian Government to more strictly enforce the law concerning “dancing bears”.
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Scenario Five:
The County Fair in Nowheresburg features its annual tractor and pony pulls. The tractor pull involves pulling a heavy sled along a 'track' that gradually digs itself into the ground making it harder and harder to pull until it can no longer be moved. The distance a tractor is able to pull the heavy sled before it is no longer able to be is measured. The owner of the tractor having pulled it the furthest is declared the winner and usually wins a great deal of money.
The horse pull operates much the same way. Teams of horses compete to pull the heavy sled as far as they are able. The owners of the winning team win money. Samantha loves the tractor pulls. She enjoys seeing the belching black smoke and hearing the roar of engines straining against the weight of the sled. But she feels much differently about the horse pull. In fact she will not go to any pull event that features horses (or any other pulling animals) even if a tractor pull is also featured.
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