# Will PETA freak out now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043 "2003-03-25T16:23:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/1 "2003-03-25T16:23:43Z")
Is PETA going to freak out now that the US Navy is using trained dolphins to look for mines in the Gulf of Hormeauz (sp?). MtM ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/2 "2003-03-25T16:26:19Z")
PETA freaked out YEARS ago. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/3 "2003-03-25T16:34:51Z")
Actually, the U.S. brought special chickens to the Gulf a month or so ago to be “indicators” in case of a chemical attack (like the canary in a coal mine). All the chickens died due to the heat. Then they imported pigeons, I haven’t heard what happened to them. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/4 "2003-03-25T16:36:17Z")
[ul]😃 [sup] **AMEN** [/sup][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/5 "2003-03-25T16:48:50Z")
PETA might object to the Morrocan’s offer of [2,000 monkeys](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21268-2003Mar24.html) for use in clearing landmines. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/6 "2003-03-25T17:01:58Z")
Actually, _I_ object to the use of monkeys to detonate mines. As far as I know, the dolphins don’t actually set off undersea mines, they merely locate them. I don’t think they should be sacrificed and I don’t think the monkeys should be either. Aren’t there mechanical ways to clear areas of mines? Basically blow 'em all up from the air? MInd you, if it comes down to human vs. monkey, and there’s no third alternative, then I have to say save the human. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/7 "2003-03-25T17:03:25Z")
Of course, that’s for a given value of “human.” I can think of some cases where I’d say monkey instead. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/8 "2003-03-25T17:07:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > \*\*if it comes down to human vs. monkey, and there’s no third alternative, then I have to say save the human. \*\* Must… resist… :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/9 "2003-03-25T17:11:27Z")
Oops, I’m sorry. I thought you said save the _monkey_. :smack: Never mind me… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/10 "2003-03-25T17:19:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > \*\*Of course, that’s for a given value of “human.” I can think of some cases where I’d say monkey instead. \*\* Pixies song out of my head now! “This mon-key’s gone to heaven” ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/11 "2003-03-25T20:05:41Z")
Y’know, when I first saw this photo, I thought it was digitally composited or something…it just _looks_ wrong… [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/waroniraq/articles/3994516?source=Evening%20Standard](http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/waroniraq/articles/3994516?source=Evening%20Standard) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/12 "2003-03-25T20:26:12Z")
Trained dolphins? Is Dr. Evil working for the U.S. government? I tell you, that’s one step away from sharks with laser beams on their heads. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Cobweb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Cobweb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Cobweb)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/13 "2003-03-25T21:07:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ratatoskK \* > \*\*Actually, the U.S. brought special chickens to the Gulf a month or so ago to be “indicators” in case of a chemical attack (like the canary in a coal mine). All the chickens died due to the heat. Then they imported pigeons, I haven’t heard what happened to them. \*\* I’ve heard that Secretary Rumsfeld has suggested to the Pentagon that they try using Dixie Chicks for this duty. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/14 "2003-03-25T21:25:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Squink \* > \*\*PETA might object to the Morrocan’s offer of [2,000 monkeys](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21268-2003Mar24.html) for use in clearing landmines. \*\* Why did I think that said “for use in cleaning laundry??” I think I need sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/15 "2003-03-25T22:39:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > \*\* > Aren’t there mechanical ways to clear areas of mines? Basically blow 'em all up from the air? > > \*\* A box full of wind up [bunnies](http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/data/11432.html) usually works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/16 "2003-03-25T22:49:28Z")
Ya know, it should be really easy to clear mines with RC cars dragging tin cans (to set off magnetic mines) or carrying rocks (to trigger weight-sensitive mines). And that would be really fun, as long as you were far enough away from the shrapnel and such. 😃 Hell, sell CNN and FAUX space to place cameras and such. They’d fund the mission, if it meant they could get sweet, sweet, ratings-boosting explosions on their satellite uplinks. Then we could have celebrities controlling the RC cars. By that point the mission would be pretty much funded by the networks anyway, so the military would just need to take the territory in the first place and provide cover. I should write this up, very humbly, into a proposal. If any of this is impossible, military types, clue me in. I just don’t see the downside here. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/17 "2003-03-25T23:13:34Z")
Are you talking about the same people who say we shouldn’t mow our lawns cause there are little bugs in it? Hmmmm. Im sure they aren’t too crazy about this dolphin idea. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/18 "2003-03-25T23:19:40Z")
Are you talking about the same people who say we shouldn’t mow our lawns cause there are little bugs in it? Hmmmm. Im sure they aren’t too crazy about this dolphin idea. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/19 "2003-03-25T23:31:54Z")
What is it about mines that they can’t find them with forward looking sonar or something? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043/20 "2003-03-26T00:11:03Z")
Mines detonate when stepped on, right? Pressure down on them releases some kind of mechanism? Okay. If we have a SuperBomb with a detonation concussive force SO great that we ( the US military, not me… :rolleyes: ) pronounce proudly that people near this SuperBomb will be deafened and possibly blinded, then well hell. Detonate a SuperBomb OVER an area known to be strewn with mines. The downward concussive force will detonate all of the mines, rendering that area safe. Or, is this just way too safe and reasonable an idea when you could produce nightmarish gore and horrific images by blowing up primates instead?? Cartooniverse [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-peta-freak-out-now/164043.md?page=2)