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**bxxasxxa** · 12-20-2010, 11:39 PM

I am not an expert on Japanese culture but there are a couple of things that bother me in addition to their continued whaling.

Of historical significance:
1) Pearl Harbor
2)Bataan Death March

Also, I am always hesitant to paint an entire country with such a broad brush, but the Japanese do not seem to care much about the lives of animals and I have two specific examples around this.

The first is the strory of Ferdinand. Ferdinand was a thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1986 Kentucky Derby, the 1987 Breeders Cup, and was voted the 1987 horse of the year. At the conclusion of his racing career he was retired to stud in KY. In 1994 a breeding operation in Japan (where horse racing is prevalent) acquired Ferdinand and he stood at stud in Japan for the rest of his life. By 2002 Ferdinand was getting very long in the tooth and had become very arthritic. Unable to "cover" mares (artificial insemination is not allowed in the thoroughbred racing industry) any longer due to his arthritis the Japanese sent him to slaughter. They never contacted anyone in the US about placing him on a retired thoroughbred farm where he could spend his last days in peace and tranquility.

The second example I have is about the specific breed of dog, the Akita. My folks have had Akitas since the day I was born, even have baby pictures with them (and I am days away from turning 39), so we've had akitas for a long time. Someone close to me suggested I read the book, Dog Man: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain. The Akita is considered a national treasure in Japan and following WWII there were only a couple of dozen left. The book details breeders in Japan trying rebuild the breed, but each of them wanted to be given the credit for doing it so the fvckers would poison each others dogs.

The stories about Ferdinand and the Akitas left a bad taste in my mouth.

12-20-2010, 11:39 PM	#9
bxxasxxa Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 414 Senior Member	I am not an expert on Japanese culture but there are a couple of things that bother me in addition to their continued whaling. Of historical significance: 1) Pearl Harbor 2)Bataan Death March Also, I am always hesitant to paint an entire country with such a broad brush, but the Japanese do not seem to care much about the lives of animals and I have two specific examples around this. The first is the strory of Ferdinand. Ferdinand was a thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1986 Kentucky Derby, the 1987 Breeders Cup, and was voted the 1987 horse of the year. At the conclusion of his racing career he was retired to stud in KY. In 1994 a breeding operation in Japan (where horse racing is prevalent) acquired Ferdinand and he stood at stud in Japan for the rest of his life. By 2002 Ferdinand was getting very long in the tooth and had become very arthritic. Unable to "cover" mares (artificial insemination is not allowed in the thoroughbred racing industry) any longer due to his arthritis the Japanese sent him to slaughter. They never contacted anyone in the US about placing him on a retired thoroughbred farm where he could spend his last days in peace and tranquility. The second example I have is about the specific breed of dog, the Akita. My folks have had Akitas since the day I was born, even have baby pictures with them (and I am days away from turning 39), so we've had akitas for a long time. Someone close to me suggested I read the book, Dog Man: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain. The Akita is considered a national treasure in Japan and following WWII there were only a couple of dozen left. The book details breeders in Japan trying rebuild the breed, but each of them wanted to be given the credit for doing it so the fvckers would poison each others dogs. The stories about Ferdinand and the Akitas left a bad taste in my mouth.
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