Not ever cute when animals are being treated as toys. I’m disappointed in Cute Overload for running the picture!

I would take photo then run and grab pups from gorilla baby. This babie has insatiable appetite for cuteness!

Amy J – I respect your opinion and understand where you’re coming from. I guess a picture like this just raises a lot of peoples’ hackles, particularly mine, because it seems so awful that casual cruelty toward animals is tolerated when it amuses the masses. I have read over the comments and I think people have a fair point when they say everything is probably fine, but still, i think this pic is a symptom of a larger problem, which is that people just don’t rate animals the same way they do humans Makes me sad is all.

gah, rage has made me incoherent. should have read: “did you know that puppies, like human BABIES, have cartilagenous vertebrae…”

*head slap*

butter, thanks for reminding me! I personally have no psychic skills so I forget. I guess I’m lucky, I don’t have to know all those terrible backstories, I can assume everyone is healthy and happy!

token vet – you’re not the first to weigh in. Previous vet had a different opinion. I guess even experts can disagree.

I knew there would be commentroversy!

I just think some people need to realize that the photo was taken and the situation has passed, it’s not like arguing over whether it’s a good or bad thing is going to change that. I’m sure the puppy is fine now, and though it may have suffered some minor and short shock or pain, animals are resilient and can take a baby picking it up by its neck and snout.

This is horrible! I am appalled. I am a vet, so I see casual cruelty toward animals all the time, and it makes me crazy. It is ABSOLUTELY unacceptable for any animal to be treated like this. Do you know that puppies, like humans, have cartilagenous vertebrae, which are far more easily dislocated than normal spine? There is every possibility that after this “cute” photo was taken, the damn kid broke that poor puppy’s neck! It isn’t the baby’s fault – he’s a baby! – but his idiot parents should NEVER have let this happen, ESPECIALLY not long enough to take a frickin photo! Unbelievable.

baby feet!! tiny puppy legs!!

But AmyJ, don’t you know we’re all psychic and know exactly what’s going on in the photo and have an intensive knowledge of the lives of the people and animals inside and outside of the photo? I mean, don’t you know that we all know everything about everything?

Wow, we’ve got a real barn-burner going here! Congrats, NTMTOM! (Don’t worry, no animals were hurt in the burning of this barn.)

I suspect I’m not alone in being amused at the predictability of the comments. My impression only, but it doesn’t seem the various threats (I’m never coming back to this site!) or demands (No babies! No racks!) have any impact… nor should they.

I say everyone take a deep breath, grab a pasickie, and remember that this is a blog, not a summit on global warming or food security in developing nations. And in this case, I second all those who say we have no idea what is going on in this picture, so why not take the positive view that puppy and baby are all fine?