Was the Death Penalty justified in this case? I don't think so.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
United States
August 18, 2008 1:39pm CST
I just read this article and can't believe how callous this whole situation sounds. Here is the story.
BRAIDWOOD, Ill. - Illinois State Police say four buffalo have been killed after escaping from a farm and blocking morning traffic on a major highway.
The animals shut down Interstate 55 in the area of Coal City and Braidwood, about 60 miles southwest of Chicago.
State Police Sgt. Chris Paluch says the buffalo were running back and forth across the highway Monday morning.
Police say the owners of the buffalo eventually shot and killed the animals.
Paluch says the highway has reopened and the owners were making arrangements to have the buffalo removed from the highway median.
Is it just me, or do you think that the Death Penalty wasn't justified in this case?
It's not like Bison are aware of Monday morning rush hour traffic. It's not like they don't have an instinctive gene that makes them want to roam.
For several hundred years large herds of bison roamed the open prairies from Canada to the Great Plains of the United States. Bison, which today are more commonly known in America as buffalo, were at one time so numerous that their stampedes across the prairie sounded like the roll of distant thunder.
Just because four of these "felonious" Bison escaped from their enclosure doesn't give anyone the right to just shoot them in cold blood, even if the shooter claimed he owned them.
In my opinion, there were better alternatives. Sometimes things happen that inconvience all of us. We just don't kill people or animals who happen to slow us down during rush hour.
What is your opinion? What would have been some more humane options? Or do you agree that people come first. Either get off the road or meet your maker.
Lloyd
11 people like this
30 responses
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
18 Aug 08
Being one that has been the recipient of cows/cattle in my yard along with deer, I think the owners probably did the right thing. We have had cattle/cows to come in our yard, run right out in the road, roaming up and down and walk right in front of cars going either direction on a two lane road. Sometimes it takes the owners hours to get those animals up. And, that is unlike a Bison/buffalo which is much bigger. One buffalo might be able to be contained but four would be a problem, if they kept running back and forth across the highway.
4 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
18 Aug 08
Hi Barb. Thanks for presenting us with a different angle on this situation. I've never had cattle or deer come into my yard. If this were the case, I might have a different view.
In the end, I think the owner of these animals should make sure that their livestock don't get loose and pose a danger to people and property.
I live in Southern New Jersey. I've live within miles of dairy and horse farms. I've never heard of an incident of them escaping. Maybe more pressure should be put on the owners who don't secure their farms.
Lloyd
5 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Sounds like those bulls are determined creatures.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I just learned something new.
Lloyd
3 people like this
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
18 Aug 08
Lloyd, we once had cattle on our farm. It doesn't matter how secure your fences are for some cattle. When you have a bull who is intent on getting out, you won't stop him. They can usually jump the fences. An electric fence may be the only thing to keep them inside. We had one bull who faced another bull over our electric fence at that spot and the other farmer's regular fence. My husband finally had to move our bull to keep him in. And the more cattle you have in a pasture, the more apt you are to have some get out once in awhile.
4 people like this
@sudalunts (5523)
• United States
18 Aug 08
How terrible, they certainly did not deserve that fate. If the owner got close enought to them to shoot them, he could have lassoed them and get them back to his farm, or whatever it is.
How inhumane, sure they are animals, but animals also deserve to be treated fairly. The owner should be fined, for not having a secure place for the animals. That's probably why he killed them.
I hate hearing stories like this. Poor animals do not have a chance against man.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
18 Aug 08
I've seem similar stories where cows that got loose were lassoed. I don't know if there is a difference between cows and bison.
I believe the highway patrol should have shut down the highway, tranquilized the bison and captured them.
Then the municipality should have charged the owner for all the costs that were incured.
I don't think these bison should have been shot for doing what bison instinctively do. The like to roam.
Lloyd
5 people like this
@xXxMikesWifeyxXx (3072)
• United States
19 Aug 08
heres a pic of a bison.
Bison are so much bigger then a cow and being there was 4 of them... it would have been 4times as harder.
i am not saying its a good thing they did. i love animals dearly ever kind but i just dont see how they could have gotten 4 bison back to there places saftley. there ganna fight back because they dont wanna go back LMAO
like you said they wanna roam.
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Hello xXxMikesWifeyxXx.
Thanks for sharing that photo of the bison. Wow, they are huge.
I wouldn't want to come face to face with one in a traffic situation.
I tried leaving a comment on your picture, but it says we have to be friends first.
I'm sending you a friends invitation. I hope you accept.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@tlb0822 (1410)
• United States
18 Aug 08
I don't think that it was right of them to kill the animals. Couldn't they have just sedated them instead? I understand that it was an inconvience, but hell there are inconviences in my life everyday, but I don't go off and shoot people, or animals. I think the most humane way was to sedate them and then get them back on to the property, or some place safe.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I don't think it was right to kill the bison in that fashion. It's just seems so callous.
You are right. We face inconvient situations all the time. However we don't always go to the extreme to solve them.
I agree with you. They should have sedated the animals.
Lloyd
3 people like this
@vegegirl (828)
• Australia
19 Aug 08
Good for you for bringing this up. I am vegetarian and don't think animals should be mindlessly killed all the time.
It's not the poor buffalos falt they were dragged to be stuck on a farm in the first place. If they can't look after their animals they shouldn't be allowed to have them in the first place!
4 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Thanks for replying to this discussion from a vegetarian perspective.
I can imagine how offensive shooting the bison must be to you. I am not a vegetarian and these extreme actions offend me also.
I agree with you. If they can't contain their animals, then they shouldn't have them in the first place.
Thanks for your reply.
Lloyd
3 people like this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
18 Aug 08
Well I personally have no experience with bison except for the herds I have seen driving out West, but I have had experience with cows. I'm thinking that they are pretty close to the same size but again I have only seen bison while driving 80 mph down the high way. Now, I'm sure that laws vary from state to state but while I lived in Kentucky the dairy farmer that lived a couple of miles from us had cows that knocked down the fence all the time. The farmer was liable every time someone hit the cows. Not only was he out the cow but he had to pay all of the driver's expenses as well. I am an animal lover, probably to much so, but, that is the person's livihood and I'm sure that even though he probably wasn't emotionally attached to the animal because it was probably used for breeding other animals to go to the slaughter house, he had to protect his assets.
4 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I've seen a bison close up before. They are very large and would do major damage if it was hit by a car.
Farmers should try their best to make sure that their animals don't escape. There must be something they can do to contain their animals.
I believe you are right that the farmer probably wasn't emotionally attached to the bison and that is why he chose to shoot them as oppose to finding a more humane alternative.
Thanks for your reply.
Lloyd
3 people like this
@soooobored (1184)
• United States
18 Aug 08
This is rough. I would agree with the comment above, that tranquilizing the bison would certainly be preferable! However, if the bison were being farmed for meat, and the meat will be used now (as it was originally intended), then it would make sense to respond to the situation that way.
But just killing bison to rescue the morning commute doesn't do it for me!
4 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
This is a tough situation. In a perfect world, tranquilizing the bison would be the best solution.
I guess in the end, the meat will still be used.
But killing bison to accomodate morning traffic isn't right. That should not happen.
They should use this case to come up with alternative solutions.
Lloyd
3 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
20 Aug 08
I don't know if his need for meat was behind the owner shooting the bison. I think he just used the quickest solution available to him.
He should fix the fence as soon as possible and make sure something like this doesn't happen again.
Lloyd
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Sometimes as I am driving, I take notice of the "mad rush" that you speak of.
I ask myself, where are they going that is so important that they risk their life in an attempt to get there.
As I drive 70 miles per hour in a 65 per hour speed zone, people past me by as if I were standing still.
Where are they going? What is so important? You are right. It isn't good for any of us.
Lloyd
3 people like this
@twallace (2675)
• United States
26 Aug 08
I read the article of the bisons being killed cause they stopped traffic on the highway and that was something that didn't have to happen. They could have found a way to round the up and take the back to the farm. But the owner is the one that shot them and they didn't fine him for that. I thought it would be some type of animal rights group that would have done something about this. NO one spoke up for the bisons. This is almost like the baby whale that lost it's mother and was thinking that a boat was it's mom. They couldn't do anything for the baby whale and they ended up killing it. So that goes to tell you that they will kill animals too. Humane is not even a question it's wrong and this is what they would called a justified action on there part.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
26 Aug 08
I followed the story of the baby whale who had lost it's mother and was actually suckling a passing boats.
I can't believe they ended up killing the baby whale. I thought there would be more outrage at this action, but there wasn't.
It seems as if man is now playing God. He now choose which creators should live or die.
We better be careful. Every creator has a role in our world. We upset the balance enough.
I also believe that shooting the bison was wrong.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
30 Aug 08
There was outrage over the whale Lloyd, there was outrage and a feeling a deep sadness and helplessness. The arguments were scientific - my belief is that the government would not help and those that could care for the baby could not afford it without some government input. People came with their ideas and equipment to try and save the little one but it's not a one off solution ....to give it a feed, I mean. Someone in the know would have had to have raised the little one and cared for her and housed her for a long time. Once humans have intervened it's difficult I guess to return these creatures to the wild. I think that putting this little girl down was the only solution. Even if she would have survived for another week or two....what then??
@twallace (2675)
• United States
27 Aug 08
You are so right about that. This is not good when you put it that way. What will be next that is placed in mankinds hands and they are playing the roll of the Creator(God). That is so scary, some things like puppy mills are fine and they allow them but in secret but the baby whale and the bison they didn't even blink twice about that.
@phoenix25 (1541)
• United States
19 Aug 08
It's sad that they had to kill the animals, but I can understand why they did it. Do you know how lethal it would be for someone to hit a buffalo with their car? I live in rural Iowa, so I have seen what a deer can do to a car. If a deer can be deadly, imagine what a buffalo would do. I think they did what they did for the safety of people driving on the road.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I'm glad that you have some compassion for the animals even though you understand why they did it.
I've heard stories of cars hitting deers and people getting killed. So I know that it can happen in the case of a bison.
Thanks for expressing an opposing opinion. There are those who agree with you.
If you get a chance, tell us what living in rural Iowa is like. I'm curious.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
20 Aug 08
Seems as if there is a Wal-mart within 30 miles of everyone. I hate rush hour traffic. I work at night so I rarely get caught in traffic jams.
I also like clean and fresh air. I live in the southern part of New Jersey and the air quality is very good here. New Jersey is called the Garden State.
I you think Baton Rouge is a crowded city, you should visit some of the cities within driving distance here in New Jersey. It takes me 30 minutes to get to Philadelphia, Pa and one hour to reach New York City. You'd definately be stressed out living there. Even though I live on the east coast, Philadelphia and New York City are a little too much for even me.
I like what you've written about Iowa. Sounds like a nice place to grow up and raise a family.
Thanks for telling us about your home state, Iowa.
Lloyd
@phoenix25 (1541)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Well, it's very quiet and you have to drive at least 30 miles to go to Wal-mart or a large supermarket. It's not really a big deal, though. The driving is nice because it's all highway. No rush hour traffic or traffic jams to worry about. The air is very clean and fresh. After I came back here from vacation, I noticed how much different the air was. I missed it while I was gone. I used to live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so I am used to a crowded city life, which I think is one reason that I love it so much here. Cities stress me out. Here, I'm not as stressed and cranky about how rude people can be, especially in traffic. You just have to be careful driving at night around here, but there's not a whole lot of reason to go anywhere at night since most places in the small towns close around 5 or 6 pm. If you do you want to go out, where I live, you have to drive an hour to get to a decent bar. There are small bars in the small towns, but most of them just play country music and are only visited by locals. I'm not too far away from Okoboji, Iowa, which is a popular hot spot for summer vacationing. They have a lot of bars and strip clubs there if you want to go out and have some drinks and fun at a bigger place.
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Aug 08
The OWNERS killed them?! I am apposed to the killing of wild animals unless it is because of disease, or undo agression. These animals weren't doing anything but trying to get out of Dodge as it were. Following their instincts and just because people are there and crosses their path why kill them? Was it just an easy fix for the owners? That is what it sounds like to me.
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
20 Aug 08
I understand your feelings about this situation. It just seems as if killing the bison was the first option.
I just think the bison saw an opening and decided to roam and explore their surroundings. I don't think they deserved to be killed because of that.
It was an easy fix. But was it the right one?
Lloyd
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
27 Aug 08
The more I think about this issue, the more I truly believe that they should have sedated the bisons.
It would have been the more humane thing to do. We all get caught in traffic jams now and then.
What was so urgent in this case? I believe they just shot first and asked questions later.
Thank you for your reply.
Lloyd
@clamrnguy (38)
•
19 Aug 08
i think it was justified, only if there was no other means of removing the animals, but if they had been people,due to new stipulations in the law these days, and there was no other way they would have shot them too. this i definately have a problem with, but animals and people are not equal in God's eyes. the human has a soul that God holds above all things.
3 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I believe there were other means of removing the bison. I know that animals and humans are not equal, however I believe God would want us to treat them with respect.
I don't think God would say "shoot first and ask questions later".
Thanks for presenting a well thought-out oposing view.
Lloyd
3 people like this
@clamrnguy (38)
•
20 Aug 08
i agree. they probably couldn't allow traffic to continue backing up for too long though.
@dagda24 (366)
•
18 Aug 08
This is a hard one to call. Whilst i do not like the idea of ending a healthy animals life situations like this can become very dangerous. Not just for road users and padestrians, but for the animals that have escaped.
The most obvious alternative would be to shoot the animals with a tranquilizer dart. The problems with this being that in the timeit takes for a vet to bring tranquilizer the animals could have caused any level of injury to the people on the road, or to themselves. Even if a vet could have reached the scene in a short amount of time there would also then be the problem of transporting the animals back to the farm/ranch before they regain consciousness.
Buffalo are large animals and in a situation like this one they quickly become confused and distressed which can make them very dangerous. They might not mean to but could esily injur and kill a human.
4 people like this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
25 Aug 08
Personally, I am not sure if this was the Best call on this situation or not. But maybe they had tried everything else they could think of, and since nothing else seemed to be working, they were left to resort to this. But I also think that if these were just left to die without intending to use the Buffalo as meat, etc. then this is Cruelty, and should be stopped as well. I guess I would have to know more on the matter what sparked this, and what happened to the animals afterwards as well. But I do agree without just cause, why would anyone have the right to do something like this in the first place?
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
26 Aug 08
I believe there were many other options available instead of shooting the bison.
It seems that that it was rush hour traffic played into this hasty decision.
I'm not sure what was done after the bison were killed, but I'm sure the meat was put to good use.
To me, it just seems as if they shot first and asked questions later.
Lloyd
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
19 Aug 08
This is one of those situations where it looks easier than it really is. It looks easy when seeing a situation from a far is a lot different then actually being there.Just reading about it I wouldn't judge what should have been done. These animals are and and if they are running around they can be deadly. So having not been there I'm sure that the owners did what they had to at the time given the circumstance.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I'm imagining what it would have been like if I were stuck in traffic as these bison kept crossing the highway.
Would I have said, just shoot them or would I have been patient and waited for them to be sedated and removed?
You are right. Being there is different than reading the story on the internet.
Yet still, I believe that other alternatives should have been tried.
Thanks for your reply.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
20 Aug 08
Hi lloyd,
[i]I agree with you! I am sure those people can wait and if they take time to think what is best solution, they will achieve it!
Very cruel for me especially the owner, he has to know how to save and how to take care of those in the first place and how to fight for them![/i]
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
26 Aug 08
Of course the authorities could have shut down the highway and handled this situation in a different fashion.
And for the owner, he should have known how to herd his bison instead of taking the easy way out.
It just seem very cruel to shoot and ask questions later.
Lloyd
@xXxMikesWifeyxXx (3072)
• United States
19 Aug 08
This is really sad. and im sure that the owners were not to happy they had to do it either. while they could have used tranqualizers obviously they didnt have any on hand.
its one thing for 4 humans to be running back and forth acrossed the highway. you can psychically move a human but a buffalo?
i dont think its smart to try and walk up to one and try to pick it up LMAO.
so they probally at that time didnt have any other choice.
and that there is a reason when you have humungus 800 lbs animals lol you should be sure they cannot escape.
for the saftey of them and for the saftey of the public.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
19 Aug 08
After reading suspenseful's response to this discussion, (#21) I am seeing this story a little differently.
I still have compassion for the bison, but there are some factors that I didn't consider.
You've made some good points also.
Maybe, just maybe, I'm having a change of heart.
Let's see what happens.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@xXxMikesWifeyxXx (3072)
• United States
19 Aug 08
sorry! i posted a responce to your responce.
but the way it showed up in my email. your responce to me was really a responce to someone else:(.
so my responce is on the first page. and a reponce to the responce you left for someone else!.lol dang email:@
@relundad (2310)
• United States
21 Aug 08
This seems to be a horrible story. But the one thing that kept coming to my mind as I was reading this story was I am glad that no person lost their life as a result of this incident. Someone could have gotten hit by the bullet intended for the Bison or as they were roaming in traffic someone could have gotten killed as they were confused and probally felt trapped between the wall barriers.They could have probally trampled a car. I have never seen a Bison in person but I know in the area that I live in in GA, people have been killed when involved in head on collisions with deer. These appear to be at least 3 times the size.
I can't imagine being one of the people sitting in traffic and watching this happen right before me.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
26 Aug 08
I don't think that anyone could have gotten hit by the bullets intended for the bison. I'm pretty sure they closed down the highway before the shooting started.
They could have also closed the highway to sedate the bison and remove them.
Like I said earlier, I've seen animals as large as an elephant sedated and relocated, so they could have did it in this case.
I'm also glad no one was hurt.
Lloyd
@reckon21 (3479)
• Philippines
21 Aug 08
I am in favor of shooting them with tranquilizer
to make them sleep and be transported back to where
they rightfully belong. I detest the killing in cold
blood, but i can't blame the shooter maybe he was afraid
that the buffalo might get out of hand and may harm people.
I am sad for the buffalo's lives and hoping that it will never
happen again. I am an animal lover and i get sad every time I
heard news like this.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
26 Aug 08
I agree with you. I've seen animal shows where elephants were tranquilized and relocated.
I hope that the authorities will now put a plan in place to assure that this never happens again.
And the owner should make sure that the bison cannot get out again.
Lloyd
