Last week, I wrote about people booing racehorses, which I found quite bizarre – only to run across another weird thing this week.
There has been a bit of an uproar about Kawana Waters Surf Club’s annual pig racing event, which is on this Saturday.
There have been petitions going around and media attention, with concerns over the pigs’ welfare when they are tasked with running about 20m or so against their peers, helping to raise funds for lifesaving.
Now, I do have a disclaimer for any form of animal racing for human entertainment.
If you firmly believe that any animal racing should be stopped, I respect your opinion.
I don’t totally agree, but I do understand. So, if you are in that category, let me say this column is not about you.
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This is about all the other people who are outraged about pigs racing and their welfare.
I am told the person who runs this event looks after his pigs extremely well.
I believe this is a wonderful family day where kids and the pigs seem to enjoy themselves for a good cause.
The pigs go at their own pace around a little track. They aren’t forced to sprint and they get a bowl of milk at the end.
If you’re outraged by this event but placed a bet on the Melbourne Cup, this column is aimed at you. Remember, no one is riding these pigs with a whip in hand.
And if you’re concerned about their fate once they’re too slow to race, yet you’re neither vegetarian nor vegan, this column is aimed at you, too.
If you sign petitions (or happily become a keyboard warrior on this subject) with a bacon sandwich in the other hand, this column is for you.
It reminds me of the furore I found myself in the other day about a community group I volunteer for.
We are trying to build a sports club to support the Falcons rugby league, Brothers rugby and other community groups.
The application included gaming machines, like most other licensed clubs in this state.
This, of course, caused outrage – which I get if you are 100 per cent against gambling and anything associated with it.
If that’s you and you don’t gamble, buy lottery tickets or follow the Broncos, Lions or any other club that is partly supported by licensed premises, I totally respect your opinion.
To the rest of the people in glass houses, pot and kettle may ring a bell.
Ashley Robinson is Mets Caloundra CEO, chairman of Thunder Netball and a lifetime Sunshine Coast resident. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sunshine Coast News.
