🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <3C4CC078.2030501@mindspring.com>,
Thomas D Horne  <hornetd@mindspring.com> wrote:
> The reason that most fire fighters respond so negatively to animal rescue 
> calls is that they are a clear indication of the low level of value 
> citizens place on the welfare of the fire fighters who serve there 
> legitimate emergency needs.

Very sorry to see that somebody flipped your "asshole" switch and you
can't manage to turn it back off.

> Fire fighters have, in fact, been killed 
> while attempting animal rescues.  We are not vaccinated against rabies 
> or plague or any of the other diseases for which animal control officers 
> are already protected.  That cats death however unfortunate is not worth 
> the real cost to the community of a fire fighter being scratched or 
> bitten.  A cat, no matter how many ribbons or other awards it may have 
> received, is certainly worth less than the lining in a fire fighters 
> coffin.

Whatever. I'm sure everyone would agree with you that a firefighter's
life is usually worth more than a cat's (there are some great cats and
some butthead firefighters, but that isn't the common case). The fact
remains, though, that there are firefighters out there who (whether
they consider it to be in the line of duty or not) are willing to
attempt this sort of thing because they see the value in it and they
choose to try to help. No one holds against you the fact that you
choose not to help. No one is trying to convince you that helping
stuck cats is in your job description. I'm not sure why you're talking
like a self-righteous jerk.

> ... The fire and rescue 
> service and the animal control service exist for one reason only and 
> that is to protect human beings from injury or disease.

That's actually false. I'm sort of appalled that you say you're a
firefighter and you would make such a claim.

> People who join 
> the animal rescue league and other animal welfare groups have chosen to 
> take certain risk in caring for animals.  The idea that fire fighters 
> should be expected to undertake the hazards attendant to elevated rescue 
> work for a cat is obscene.  Is that response cogent enough for you.

Again, you're sounding a lot like an asshole and I'm not sure why. No
one said they expect you to rescue cats from trees if you don't want
to. Much better to say, "I don't choose to do it" than to make a
stupid remark about cat skeletons in trees and then go off on an
unsolicited diatribe like you did when someone called you on your
flippant behavior.

Geez, dude. Calm down.

	-- Robert