Poll: Gaming Animal Cruelty; serious issue?

[1trakm1nd]

Animal Lovers Bite Back at Dog Killing in Call of Duty: World at War
March 20, 2009

If you've played Call of Duty: World at War, you know how nasty those enemy attack dogs can be: They're fast, vicious and frightening (see video at left).

But a group of students at a Massachusetts high school are upset about the need to shoot dogs in CoD:WaW. They're taking their protest to Activision Blizzard, which publishes the best-selling game.

Breanna Lucci, who serves as president of the Animal Rights Club at the Academy of Notre Dame in Tyngsboro, said:

Killing dogs as a form of entertainment ... over and over again. That's one of the objects of the game. Parents need to know what they are buying their kids. Killing animals should not be a form of entertainment...



My little 12-pound Pomeranian, Winnie the Pooh, is sitting next to [my brother, who is playing CoD:WaW], and I'm thinking, 'This looks horrible!' My brother is a sweetheart. He won't be killing dogs after playing. But some people might.

Jen Dupras of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals supports the students' efforts:

I feel like these video games are dangerous for a lot of reasons. We can all rationalize and say it's just pretend. Even so, why pretend shooting people and dogs? They really desensitize kids and adults to what that violence signifies.

 

[Ago Iterum]

Oohhh. This same thread was started about 5 minutes ago by somebody else.

But in response, yeah, if they're mad at the killing of dogs, they should be mad at the killing of humans too.

 

[1trakm1nd]

lol was it, ah well it's just that dumb of an issue it needs two places.

 

[Baby Tea]

Naah, it's fine. These people are freaking out over nothing.
If we say this promotes killing dogs, then by proxy we are saying the violent games cause violent behaviour, which is completely incorrect. Violent games may be a catalyst for people with preexisting violent behaviour, but they aren't the root cause.
To say otherwise is just sensationalist finger-pointing.

 

[Uilleand]

I don't even like killing all the animals that would otherwise attack you in games like NWN or Oblivion...I just try to sneak past them. I think, as with a lot of other video game debates, that if killing animals on screen is something you enjoy, there are deeper issues at play that would make themselves known regardless. Maybe it's good to have it in a video game ... if parents/friends are able to see the behaviour and make some attempt to look into the bigger picture.
That said, it makes me nauseous to see...even in games...

 

[gigastrike]

Hey, you "kill" people too. Why is that acceptable, but dogs not?

 

[ae86gamer]

you took my thread

 

[captainwolfos]

If I play a game with killing in it, I kill everything with no remorse.
It's just a game; you're not really killing anything. Get that into your head.

 

[MariusLecter]

Animal cruelty in games?

I'll take issue with it if they come out with something like "FUR TRAPPERS EXTREME!" 'Skin animals alive!' and 'Bonus Levels! Spread small pox to Indians with clothes you've made from said skinned animals!'

I'd take offense both those aspects of the game.



Other than that, no not really an issue.

 

[Jamash]

I usually don't like repeating myself, but the quote function makes it so easy.

From the other topic:

A quote from said retards which I found particularly noteworthy

"Killing animals should not be a form of entertainment..."

So why are they complaining about a video game and pestering Activision, and not bothering hunters and people who enjoy sports fishing?

You don't even kill real animals in COD:WAW, and even if it was an issue, shouldn't they be bothering the makers of those Cabela's Hunting games before atticking the makers of a WW2 game?

Apparently murdering Germans and Japanese people is fine, but don't 'hwurt the liddle doggies'.

 

[Drachknouir]

Hey, you "kill" people too. Why is that acceptable, but dogs not?

because animals have more fights them humans do. we were in IRAQ and we were clearing Saddam air field. there were a lot of attack dogs running loos a few days after we cleared all of the enemy combatants. so the next day our rules of engagement changed so we could not shoot unless shot at. so a army guy in my unit was attacked by one of these wandering attack dogs. seance the rules of engagement he could not shoot the dog, so he pull his bayonet and kills the dog in self defense. an officer walks by and sees a dead dog and the privet cleaning off his bayonet, the officer assumes he must have killed that dog for fun and promptly arrests the privet. this privet is given an article 15 and threatened with an dishonorable discharge. they made an improvised jail for him and kept him there for 2 months. we get back to the states and he is discharged.
as for killing animals in game I am surprised that would of warcraft has yet to be sued there are so many " go kill 15-20 of this animal".

 

[CoverYourHead]

Hey, you "kill" people too. Why is that acceptable, but dogs not?

I was thinking the exact same thing. And dogs were used in WWII, so it's just a depiction of real events... not down to the letter, but you get the idea.

 

[The Infamous Scamola]

Having just read the title I mistakedly pressed no thinking that I was answering the
question written in the title, oh well, my bad.

 

[Booze Zombie]

"In this game you shoot Germans. Children should not be encouraged to shoot German people... oh, and there's dogs. They die, too. Um..."

 

[Adfest]

you took my thread

Don't you love it when that happens?


Oh, and no... It's not a serious issue, because no animals are harmed. They are fucking pixels and it's not like you're trapping them in cages and lighting them on fire. Goddamn hippies.

 

[Ronwue]

I... am... left speechless
Really... this is getting more retarded by the moment.
I swear to god. I'm going to make the most offensive game ever. It will involve shooting, maiming and effectively beating the shit out of endangered animals and every racial minority, just to piss off these guys. And boss battles will be against striking resemblances of all the heads of these self righteous organizations of hippie assholes.

 

[electric discordian]

People are stupid and want a reason to moan about something so they can throw poo at the walls of their enclosure and bear there arses at the passing visitors.

Yeah

 

[kawligia]

How is it animal cruelty to defend yourself from a rabid dog that's trying to bite you cock off?

 

[kawligia]

I don't even like killing all the animals that would otherwise attack you in games like NWN or Oblivion...I just try to sneak past them.

I do this as well. Even in WoW or WAR, I prefer killing humanoids.

How is it animal cruelty to defend yourself from a rabid dog that's trying to bite you cock off?

A firm "My cock is not a doggie treat" works wonders.

Of course! Why didn't I think to try to REASON with that rabid dog? Maybe I can convince those ants out back to GTFO through diplomacy.