There are extreme levels of domoic acid, a neurotoxin, in crabs on the west coast due to algae blooms from the unseasonably warm weather. Humans know about this, so they aren't eating the crabs right now, but the sea lions don't have scientists to tell them whether or not it is safe to eat these crustaceans. A Marine Mammal Center conservation medicine veterinarian, Claire Simeone, told Crowley that over 213 sea lions have been affected by this neurotoxin in 2015, 80% of which died. According to scientists, more massive blooms will continue to happen in the future.
The most sympathetic person in this story seems to be Claire Simeone, since she is the one who is actively treating and trying to save all of these sea lions. Other scientists and researchers are certainly trying to help, but Simeone is the one who is hands-on with the sick animals; she has direct contact with them the same way a doctor would with his/her human patients, so losing so many of them has to take an emotional toll.
The least sympathetic characters in this story, to me, are the fishermen. If you read the article, you know that many fisheries have been shut down for numerous reasons, but fishing itself caused many of them. The extinction of species, and disruption of the entire ecosystem, can be attributed to the many fisheries located on the west coast. I understand that fishing is how these men/women earn a living, but I find it difficult to sympathize with them due to all of the damage fishing has done to our Earth.
User 442683,"Sea Lion", 02/12/2015 via pixabay.com, Public domain
The second article that intrigued me is titled "The Dark Underside of the Show-Dog World" by Mark Seal for Vanity Fair Magazine. I was truly shocked as I read this article. As someone who loves all dogs more than most humans, reading about the poisoning of a dog was horrific.
Yes, you read that correctly. someone POISONED A DOG. Jagger was an Irish Setter who placed second at the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham, England. He was died shortly after returning home on March 6, 2015 to Lauw, Belgium. An autopsy showed pieces of beef containing poison in Jagger's gastrointestinal tract. Aleksandra Lauwers, his owner and companion, was especially devastated by her loss.
SWNS Group, "Thendara Satisfaction", 03/09/2015 via vanityfair.com, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDervis
It is easiest to sympathize with Lauwers, because as she expressed in a Facebook post shortly after Jagger's death, she had such a great love for her dog beyond the Dog Show world. "...I hope you can sleep well knowing you have killed our love, family member, and best friend to our son," wrote Lauwers. Jagger was not only a show dog and family companion, but he was also a therapy dog for the elderly. There are so many reasons to sympathize with the Lauwers family, especially since whoever poisoned Jagger is still unknown.
While the culprit is never named or known in the story, he/she/it is still a major character, and definitely not one anyone can sympathize with. Was this a malicious act of a psychopath without purpose? Was the culprit jealous of Jagger's elite status? Are any of these reason enough to kill a dog? No. It is also hard to sympathize with the directors of the Crufts Dog Show, because that is where it is presumed that the poisoning happened. These dogs should be watched meticulously not only by their owners, but also by the employees of the show. No dog should be able to eat anything that came from outside the show, and all food at the show should be monitored.
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