dog curtly called art (WARNING: Disturbing Pictures)

[happy piggies]

In the 2007, the 'artist' Guillermo Vargas Habacuc, took a dog from the street, he tied him to a rope in an art gallery, starving him to death.

For several days, the 'artist' and the visitors of the exhibition watched emotionless the shameful 'masterpiece' based on the dog's agony, until eventually he died.

It's free of charge, there is no need to register, and it will only take 1 minute to save the life of an innocent creature.

If you want to double check all the above information you can google the name or look up videos about him on youtube to see the horrible truths.Does it look like art to you?

But this is not all... the prestigious Visual Arts Biennial of the Central American decided that the 'installation' was actually art, so Guillermo Vargas Habacuc has been invited to repeat his cruel action for the biennial of 2008.

Let's STOP HIM!!!!!

Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/ea6gk/petition.html

You'll come onto the page where you can click on 'sign the petition',

On the next page you need to 'preview your signature', so click on that, then click 'approve signature'

Please do it.
It's free of charge, there is no need to register, and it will only take 1 minute to save the life of an innocent creature.

If you want to double check all the above information you can google the name or look up videos about him on youtube to see the horrible truths.

[Cosmictadpole]

This totally ruined my day (I know that's petty, it ruined the dog's life). I'm absolutely sick to my stomach. I signed the petition, but to be honest, I want to find this man and personally confront him.

[Jennicat]

It would be nice if people could be bothered to post the entire story. The Humane Society has investigated this. The man did not starve the dog to death. He captured a stray, already starving and emaciated. While the dog was in the gallery, it was provided with food and water. Then the dog either escaped or was released back into the city.

[Cosmictadpole]

The whole story would be nice. I tried to find more information by googling the artist's name, but only came up with either sites in other languages or poorly translated english. Jennicat, if you have a link that explains the whole story or the Humane Society's investigation, could you please post it?

[FoolOnTheHill]

Originally Posted by Jennicat

It would be nice if people could be bothered to post the entire story. The Humane Society has investigated this. The man did not starve the dog to death. He captured a stray, already starving and emaciated. While the dog was in the gallery, it was provided with food and water. Then the dog either escaped or was released back into the city.

And that's ok? It's still disgusting that people gained enjoyment from viewing a starving dog. It obviously needed medical attention and proper care, not being tied up and offered some water.

[FoolOnTheHill]

Originally Posted by Jennicat

It would be nice if people could be bothered to post the entire story. The Humane Society has investigated this. The man did not starve the dog to death. He captured a stray, already starving and emaciated. While the dog was in the gallery, it was provided with food and water. Then the dog either escaped or was released back into the city.

And that's ok? It's still disgusting that people gained enjoyment from viewing a starving dog. It obviously needed medical attention and proper care, not being tied up and offered some water.

[Jennicat]

Ack, double post!

[Jennicat]

The point was not about enjoyment. The point was to show that people were happy to ignore literally thousands of dogs starving and dying in the streets, but would be outraged over one as long as someone drew their attention to it. The same people who were so outraged by the mistreatment of this one dog probably passed over a dozen dying in the street on their way to the fancy art gallery. Sort of in the same way that people will go "awww" about an abused animal on the news, but will not bother spaying or neutering their own pets, or will continue to buy small animals from pet stores, and support breeders, etc.

Guillermo Vargas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Humane Society International | The Humane Society of the United States

The dog did obviously need medical attention. I researched as well as I could on Costa Rica and the available resources. I only found mention of 1-2 vet clinics in the country, and a blog type thing from a zookeeper who moved there to study the rainforest who said that most people there didn't even know what vaccines were, or preventative care, nevermind seeking emergency treatment.

[Cosmictadpole]

Thank you Jennicat. I appreciate that you thoroughly researched the story.

[Jennicat]

That being said, I personally don't think that using a live animal in an art display is humane to the animal. But I can certainly appreciate his message.

[Jazz Mayhem]

I sort of figured what the point of his "art" was/is but it was a hell of a way to make it and at the expense of a suffering animal. Needless to say I signed the petition.

[Jennicat]

Just from a "Devil's Advocate" standpoint, if an animal is suffering anyway (ie, already on the street, starving, not getting vet care) is it wrong to use it to make a point if that may improve the lives of the other dogs abandoned and feral?

[Jazz Mayhem]

Here's something from Snopes.

[Jazz Mayhem]

Originally Posted by Jennicat

Just from a "Devil's Advocate" standpoint, if an animal is suffering anyway (ie, already on the street, starving, not getting vet care) is it wrong to use it to make a point if that may improve the lives of the other dogs abandoned and feral?

Well my answer to that question is yes. But obviously it's a matter of opinion. I would've had a vet come in and treat it as part of the exhibit and given it a nice plush bed and some chew toys

[frashy]

ART?! No, he is simply just a psychopath. He is defined by it with his amoral behavior by claiming this to be art.

[happy piggies]

ok i should have done a little more research on weather or not the dog died
BUT that is not the point LOOK at the dog and i mean look at him. did he look that bad off at the start of the photos no he was not a fully groomed and happy pup. BUT look at him in the end shot.

if some on has a guine pig in a cage that is smaller then recomaned then we go ape untill it is fixed. if there is 5 guine pigs in a display case that is 4 cuf we go nuts and demand to see the manager, but here sits a dog that is PURPOSEFUL eather dined or given a little food to make a point.
I think that every one of those ppl who looked into those eyes and did nutting should be hung up and caned. and i have seen what cannind dose to the body

But i would nutting compared to the freedom dog went from living in, to what he had to live in. HE had the world to look at now he has to sit on maby a 6f leash. It is a disgrace to call us human, The worlds smartest living thing

I HANG MY HEAD LOW AND SOB FOR WHAT WE DONE TO HIM

[chexxy]

Have any of you ever been to Costa Rica? I have been there 4 times. There are a ton of strays. They get fed by locals and tourists, but there are still a ton. Alot of dogs in Costa Rica, look worse then here. They all are a little thin, and scabby. I think that the locals do care, they just dont see that much wrong with it. I think if thisa dog got food and water, then, if the purpose was to raise awareness of strays, it was acceptable. And vet care, well...I dont think dogs get vet care ther,e aleast most. Even dogs owned by people, they are tough, I doubt there are many vets there.

[FoolOnTheHill]

Wow, I'm actually speechless.
I can't believe members of a board that is so "pro animal welfare"...one that as happy pigs says, go ape if a cage is *oh so slightly* too small would find this acceptable.
It doesn't matter if it's starving already! What would you say if I rescued a guinea pig from a backyard breeder, it was thin and sick, and I kept it in an empty cage on display to the public? But wait, it's got food and water so aren't I "raising awareness" of backyard breeders? Of course not. Raising awareness doesn't involve abusing animals in desperate need of help in my book.
I really cannot believe anyone would think this is acceptable.

Terribly sorry about my double post, could a mod delete one please?

[Jennicat]

Perhaps I'm a realist enough to find a huge difference in a situation of a person living in a developed country who chooses to get a pet and not provide for it vs. a poorly developed country, with little to no access to vet care, and a mangy, starving dog which he did not make that way.

I'll admit, this post hit my pet peeve -- the internet activist. The forwarders of emails, poorly researched, and often without enough facts for anyone to make anything other than a kneejerk reaction.

I get fed up with "OMG U GUYZ THIS GUY STARVED A DOGD!!@!@@! SIGN TEH PETITIONS NOW!" Whoever this guy is, he didn't starve this dog. Most of the slackivists also are the people who won't stop shopping at Petsmart, still buy Iams, and see nothing wrong with buying pet store animals.

I absolutely hate the "urban legend" type petitions which float around, arousing impassioned key typing, and nothing else. There are over 400,000 signatures on that petition. If every one of those people donated $10 to the local feral spay/neuter program, they could save thousands, if not millions of dogs. But they'd rather sit back and be outraged over this one guy who simply put on display what most of humanity is sitting back and ignoring. Or, the if the 400,000 chipped in $10, the $4,000,000 would probably be enough to put an animal welfare program into place in Costa Rica to save this dog (which escaped or was let go, depending on who you ask) and all of his street buddies. That's what truly bothers me.

[suzilovespiggie]

Jennicat, you made some awesome points. How many of us would put money where are signitures are?
My daughter has been to many 3rd world countries. The conditions of animals and children are appaling!! The world needs awareness of both treatment of animals and children. Just maybe this article will do it, even on a small basis. All of us need to keep fighting for the innocent in our communities and our world, as we can afford, to get the message out there.
We will not tolerate abuse and cruelty of any species.