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Wednesday, August 31 2011

'Snapperfest' celebrates animal abuse

By Cindy Steinle
Wed, August 31 2011 at 17:03

There aren't too many things that unite the herp and animal rights communities, so maybe we ought to give "Snapperfest" in Ohio County, Indiana, some kind of award. On second thought, an "award" isn't what I'd like to give them.

The event has been going on for 15 years, so the organizers were surprised to be met with so much opposition this year.

The contest involves fishing a turtle out of a tank filled with murky water. Contestants use only their hands to try to pull the animal's head out of its shell. The goal is to get a hand around the turtle's neck without getting bit.

[....]

Snapperfest has the blessing of local law enforcement as well as conservation officers. Tom Chalk's been around since the whole thing started. "There ain't no abuse to the turtles whatsoever...there's never been one slammed or killed or had its head ripped off."

What's amazed everyone at the campground is all the attention the event has suddenly received. "We've had calls from Germany, Canada...Florida...every state in the United States has called. The phone it just rings off the handle. Some people get real nasty, cuss us out. We just hang up. We just try to explain what's going on, it's not abuse."

Two very different videos are being circulated. One is the news report featuring the above comments, which can be found here. The other, a video from an attendee last year, can be seen after the bump.

Watching both, really, is there any wonder why animal lovers are outraged?

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Thats pretty blatant abuse if you ask me. I don't think swinging any creature around by it neck is acceptable, just because one hasn't been killed.... Yet.
I would have liked to attend the event with my bat and played bash the turtle chokers, its not abuse.

#1 Justin on 2011-09-03 13:09 (Reply)

It's obvious you are brainwashed by the ecology movement. As much as I love reptiles (and I do) people are more important. I hope you realize that and wake up before you actually hurt someone.

#1.1 Chris Jones (Homepage) on 2011-09-08 19:59 (Reply)

Chris Jones, as much as you may believe Justin is "brainwashed" by the "ecology movement", the fact that you casually state the importance of humans as absolute fact is disturbing to me. I also hope you realize that not every threat made on the internet will be carried out. I would also like to inform you that you have almost certainly lost any of my future business based on your comments. Now back to the main topic at hand. It is perplexing to me how very few people truly dislike chelonians, yet they among the most persecuted animals on this planet. Whether it be Snapperfest, turtle races, or TCM, it seems that turtles rarely catch a break. Although I applaud herpers and (to a lesser degree) animal rights activists for their concern of this activity, to me this seems a minute threat to turtles compared to those facing chelonia in Asia, and even our own "backyards".

#1.1.1 Erik on 2011-09-09 22:09 (Reply)

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Wednesday, August 31 2011

'Snapperfest' celebrates animal abuse

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