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masterblaster72

Taking a Chicken on a Skydive -- Animal Cruelty?

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Recently there was a video posted on YouTube and skydivingmovies.com that sparked some controversial discussion in this thread.

Some said that this was a form of animal torture while the OP said great care was taken to ensure the animal's safety. OP said they consulted with avian experts before the jump and designed a harness so that no harm would come to the chicken. The chicken was not attached to any jumper, but it was in its own harness, attached with a handle, passed around among the various jumpers on the skydive.

I had a discussion with a friend over the weekend about this and he said that it's wrong on many levels because the chicken, even if in a harness, will probably think that it's going to die since it is unfamiliar with freefall and therefore is likely thinking that its death is imminent.

Unfortunately, the owner of the video took it down from YouTube and SDM, probably because of the controversy surrounding it.

I was lucky enough to download the video before the owners took it down so I have a copy of it. If anyone knows of a web space I can upload it to temporarily (not YouTube, not Google, not Yahoo (they're restricted at my workplace) and not SDM), let me know and I will upload it there temporarily for your viewing so that you can see it.

What do you think -- animal cruelty or humane fun for the chicken? Curious to hear your opinion.

Edited to add the temporary link to the video.

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

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That I'd like to see. Do chicken's contemplate thier own mortality? Do they look down from 13000ft and think... BUGGER! Or like the rest of us do they just enjoy the ride? I think the latter.
When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

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What do you think -- animal cruelty or humane fun for the chicken? Curious to hear your opinion.

I have no idea, but to ask the obvious question - why on Earth were they taking a chicken on a skydive in the first place?!?!?:S

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What do you think -- animal cruelty or humane fun for the chicken?



Meh. I would think it's less cruel than jumping with a dog, but what do I really know about the minds of either dogs or chickens?
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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What do you think -- animal cruelty or humane fun for the chicken? Curious to hear your opinion.

I have no idea, but to ask the obvious question - why on Earth were they taking a chicken on a skydive in the first place?!?!?:S


Tha horse was to big for the door?
When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

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I haven't seen the video, but I'd say yes this is cruelty. It seems to me it would be pretty uncomfortable (or probably painful) for the chicken to have a 120mph wind blown at it for a minute or so.

What was the post-jump demeanor of the chicken?

--Head
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Turn off the internet! Join Citizens United Negating Technology For Life And People's Safety!

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What was the post-jump demeanor of the chicken?



Delicious

Simply fried, 11 herbs and spices, with potatoes and asparagus on the side. Serve with a lighter Red Wine - perhaps a Pinot Noir

though perhaps asparagus can be a bit heavy with chicken unless balanced against the seasoning of both

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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What was the post-jump demeanor of the chicken?



Delicious

Simply fried, 11 herbs and spices, with potatoes and asparagus on the side. Serve with a lighter Red Wine - perhaps a Pinot Noir



No shit.

What's crueler - taking a chicken on a joy ride, or chopping its head off?

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No shit.


doesn't happen with chickens

***What's crueler - taking a chicken on a joy ride, or chopping its head off?What's crueler - taking a chicken on a joy ride, or chopping its head off?



I'd say promising to take the chicken on a joy ride, getting her hopes all up, and then chopping her head off.

That and teasing her in front of all the other chickens

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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I haven't seen the video, but I'd say yes this is cruelty. It seems to me it would be pretty uncomfortable (or probably painful) for the chicken to have a 120mph wind blown at it for a minute or so.

What was the post-jump demeanor of the chicken?

--Head



It was psyched, screamed hell yea punched the air and ran around kissing everyone:D
When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

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What was the post-jump demeanor of the chicken?

--Head



You can see for yourself here. Someone was kind enough to let me upload it.

To the owners of the video if you're reading this -- I linked to it for the sake of discussion. I'll take it down immediately upon your request or when the thread dies.

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

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Hmm tough call. It IS rather amusing, but it also looks rather cruel - the poor thing is bound to be under huge stress (even if it's not sentient as we see it), being bounded around, with its wings outstretched above it.

'buttplugs? where?' - geno

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I had a discussion with a friend over the weekend about this and he said that it's wrong on many levels because the chicken, even if in a harness, will probably think that it's going to die since it is unfamiliar with freefall and therefore is likely thinking that its death is imminent.

If it has the ability to contemplate its own mortality, it should also be able to appreciate that fact that it has just flown higher than an eagle.;)

BTW, certain chickens do fly. Bantees, left to themselves, roost in trees.

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You can see for yourself here. Someone was kind enough to let me upload it.

To the owners of the video if you're reading this -- I linked to it for the sake of discussion. I'll take it down immediately upon your request or when the thread dies.



I'm not raging mad about this by no means, but I'd say that skydive didn't need to happen. I'm sure bouncing around in the turbulence and the opening shock was no fun for that thing. :|

As for the post-jump demeanor, that's hard to read. It wasn't running around like crazy just trotting away when someone got close (like they normally do, I guess). So maybe it was no worse for the wear.

--Head
--
Turn off the internet! Join Citizens United Negating Technology For Life And People's Safety!

http://www.citizensunitednegatingtechnology.org/

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What a bunch of shit QuickTime is.



Agreed.:P



Regardless of not having seen the video, I'm not generally for anything that is not "natural" for an animal, with some minor exceptions for domesticated animals.

I must ask what the point of taking the chicken on a skydive was to better understand the desired effect. The likely response would be asinine.:S[:/]
Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

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If they'd let go of it do you recon it could have flown down? I.e. can a chicken glide/ soar?



I don't know about chickens but turkeys didn't work out too well for WKRP:

"It's a helicopter, and it's coming this way. It's flying something behind it, I can't quite make it out, it's a large banner and it says, uh - Happy... Thaaaaanksss... giving! ... From ... W ... K ... R... P!! No parachutes yet. Can't be skydivers... I can't tell just yet what they are, but - Oh my God, Johnny, they're turkeys!! Johnny, can you get this? Oh, they're plunging to the earth right in front of our eyes! One just went through the windshield of a parked car! Oh, the humanity! The turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement! Not since the Hindenberg tragedy has there been anything like this!"

--Les Nessman


:D

--Head
--
Turn off the internet! Join Citizens United Negating Technology For Life And People's Safety!

http://www.citizensunitednegatingtechnology.org/

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OP said they consulted with avian experts before the jump...



I'm curious why you feel this is even worth mentioning?



To point out that the jumpers took some care and planned for the well-being of the chicken (as opposed to taking it on a jump and simply holding it by its neck or wings). Just repeating what was mentioned in the original post I initially linked to above.

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

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To point out that the jumpers took some care and planned for the well-being of the chicken (as opposed to taking it on a jump and simply holding it by its neck or wings). Just repeating what was mentioned in the original post I initially linked to above.




Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

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Can't play the movie because "the required compressor could not be found".

What a bunch of shit QuickTime is. It's no wonder people do not use it these days.



Oh, quit your belly-aching and just use VLC or Mplayer.
"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

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