The West’s Love Affair with Animals
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Has it ever struck you as odd how, during a battle scene in a movie, the audience will shriek when a horse is killed while humans are dying the entire rest of the film?
Pieter Hugo, on shooting his incredible series The Hyena & Other Men:
Many animal-rights groups also contacted me, wanting to intervene (however, the keepers have permits from the Nigerian government). When I asked Nigerians, “How do you feel about the way they treat animals?” the question confused people. Their responses always involved issues of economic survival. Seldom did anyone express strong concern for the well-being of the creatures. Europeans invariably only ask about the welfare of the animals but this question misses the point. Instead, perhaps, we could ask why these performers need to catch wild animals to make a living. Or why they are economically marginalised. Or why Nigeria, the world’s sixth largest exporter of oil, is in such a state of disarray.
A more extreme view might ask how we can justify using protein and cereals on pets when people are suffering for a lack of them.
