Animal prophets for profits are upsetting rights groups

Animal prophets for profits are upsetting rights groups

It started two years ago when Paul the Octopus correctly picked eight out of eight winners at the 2010 Fifa World Cup, but now some activists say the animal prophecy craze has gone too far and animals' rights are being abused.

In Germany, the country where Paul rose to fame at the Sea Life centre in Oberhausen by picking mussels indicating winning teams out of a bucket, a large number of media outlets have employed pets as pundits during Euro 2012 with varying degrees of success.

Pigs, cows, elephants, otters, ferrets, alpacas, tortoises, bulldogs and even ferrets have been put through various tests to try to determine the outcome of a game.

The animal rights group Tierschutzbund says it is worried the animals are suffering mental stress from the ordeals they are being put through.

''These days, everybody who has an animal seems to put it in front of a camera,'' a spokesman for the group Marius Tunte told the BBC.

Tierschutzbund was concerned about the treatment of a python called Ado by an internet radio station, which was offered rats in team colours to eat.

''Unnecessary suffering is being inflicted purely for the sake of enjoyment,'' the group said.

Chiang Mai Zoo tested its pandas Lin Hui and Lin Ping yesterday with both picking favourites Spain to defeat Italy.

Chiang Mai Night Safari also staged a ''match'' between Tono, an Indochina tiger, representing Spain, and Justin, a white tiger, backing Italy. Justin touched the ball first, predicting a win for Italy.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT