Health Diaries > Animal Health

April 16, 2007

Knut the Polar Bear Is Sick

Filed under Polar Bears

Knut, the adorable little polar bear who has stolen the hearts of the world, is reportedly not feeling well and has been temporarily taken off display. He will undergo a treatment of antibiotics and be given lots of rest.

“At the moment he is resting on his blanket and sleeping,” Schuele said, adding that despite his lethargy Knut did eat his regular meal in the morning.

While I am not a fan of zoos, I do think the "animal rights activists" who say Newt should have been euthanized rather than be raised in a zoo are completely out of their minds. I don't believe those types of activists really care about the welfare of animals. They see things in a black and white way and don't look at each individual case.

I consider myself to be an "animal rights" person as well as a "human rights" person. All creatures should be treated fairly and humanely. We wouldn't put a perfectly healthy human being "to sleep" because it couldn't live in its natural habitat.

Do any of us live in our natural habitats, anyway? Knut may not have an ideal life for a polar bear, but he has a right to live and no person who truly cared about animals would think otherwise.

Get well soon, Knut!

Berlin's lovable polar bear Knut taken off public display because of teething pain