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Ground Squirrel Ethics.
Jun. 9th, 2012 12:58 pmThe local ground squirrel population has increased substantially this year. I've seen as many as 6 at a time in the chicken yard and near the fence between us and the neighbors (I used to see no more than 1 or 2 at a time). I don't mind the ground squirrels much, since they seem to keep their tunnels in the neighbor's yard, and haven't caused us much damage - yet. I don't want their population getting so large they need to move in over here, though.
The dogs have made it their mission to catch the ground squirrels. They've also made it their mission to catch the gophers, but they've been less successful in that endeavor.
The dogs have caught and killed 3 or 4 ground squirrels in the last couple of weeks. When the kids witnessed these killings they cheered and praised the dogs mightily. They were so pleased with the dogs, I was worried they would be disappointed in me for letting one of the ground squirrels go. It was stuck in one of our bird waters (it must have gone for a drink and fell in), and I just dumped the water and let it go. I could have gotten a shovel and killed it (as I would have done if it were a gopher), but it was just too cute and I let it go free.
When I told H, she told me it was okay, and explained it this way:
It's the dogs' job to catch rodents. Since they are so bad at catching the gophers, when they have a success by catching the ground squirrels we want to celebrate for them and praise them for finally succeeding at doing their job. It's okay for the humans not to kill them, because the ground squirrels are so cute and it's not our job to catch them.
The dogs have made it their mission to catch the ground squirrels. They've also made it their mission to catch the gophers, but they've been less successful in that endeavor.
The dogs have caught and killed 3 or 4 ground squirrels in the last couple of weeks. When the kids witnessed these killings they cheered and praised the dogs mightily. They were so pleased with the dogs, I was worried they would be disappointed in me for letting one of the ground squirrels go. It was stuck in one of our bird waters (it must have gone for a drink and fell in), and I just dumped the water and let it go. I could have gotten a shovel and killed it (as I would have done if it were a gopher), but it was just too cute and I let it go free.
When I told H, she told me it was okay, and explained it this way:
It's the dogs' job to catch rodents. Since they are so bad at catching the gophers, when they have a success by catching the ground squirrels we want to celebrate for them and praise them for finally succeeding at doing their job. It's okay for the humans not to kill them, because the ground squirrels are so cute and it's not our job to catch them.
