FAQ's
About The Sheep Kill | PETA and BOSS
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PETA's Action Alert
Comments from BOSS Alumni | Comments
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members
NOTE: Some of the PETA member comments below contain violent, graphic language and may be unsuitable for certain audiences. All of the comments provided here are completely accurate, although some may have been edited for space, not content.
Personally, we recommend you read the FAQ and BOSS Alumni comments pages first.
Comments from PETA Members
“You disgusting murderers. PETA has reported to us how you planned and carried out the murder of an innocent animal. We'll all push for animal cruelty charges to be brought against you; hopefully the courts will levy great consequences against you for the heinous act of animal cruelty and slaughter that you committed. You can be sure we will spread the word, hopefully, our doing so will cause such a great reduction in your business that it won't be long before you're out of business; like the animal you cruelly slaughtered.”
"HOPE TO START A PROTEST SOON AT YOUR LOCATION.THE PEOPLE MUST FIND OUT ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING THERE.. YOU ARE JUST PLAIN EVIL PEOPLE AND THE WORLD WILL FIND OUT ABOUT YOU WAYS AND YOU WILL BE SHUT DOWN...JOSH WE WILL BE YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE.... “
“I was told about your lessons. A surprise activity in one of your sessions, I heard, involves sawing away at a starved sheep's neck. That is animal cruelty and is completely unnecessary. I cannot believe you make your students torture a poor animal just because you think it teaches them something. The only thing being taught here, I think, is it's okay to be cruel to animals, and that it's okay to starve and kill one of god's creatures. I am disgusted, and plan to report you to the authorities unless you take this ‘activity’ out of your program.”
“I have recently learned of your program through Peta.com. I must inform you that I am truly hurt to hear of the animal killing practices that you call ‘spiritual.’ To be completely honest, I think your program sounds very interesting aside from this horrific act of violence to an animal. What is the point of putting another being in that kind of torture? To tie-up a sheep, starve it, then cruelly mutilate it, is honestly very hard to believe. Please teach people to have respect for the land that you are teaching them to live off, and a little respect for the animals. No being should have to suffer to their death.”
Hi, I am interested in possibly taking one of your classes... Could you send me the schedule for any that might allow me to have a really unique outdoor survival experience, maybe with some suprises included? Like maybe how to murder a helpless, starved, tied up animal with a dull knife? That sounds like a lot of fun and it's a skill which I know I'd be able to use in my everyday life. With that kind of know-how I could start attacking the dogs in my neighborhood! Do you have any classes which do this? If so, then you need to be put out of business and FAST! I hope word gets out to the media about your inhumane, abusive practices and compassionate people everywhere will join together to STOP you!
“You are truly sick. Stop this now.”
“I am from Boulder and was planning to take one of your survival classes until I heard that you slaughter innocent animals on your trips and consider it "spiritual." Not only is it the least bit spiritual to tie up a defenseless animal and then kill it after it has starved for days, it is illegal. I am a member of Rocky Mountain Animal Defense and as you have already probably been told by many of the members, the word is spreading. If you do not stop torturing and killing these defenseless animals you will find yourselves in court very soon.”
“Please look inside your heart regarding the slaughter of innocent animals as part of your curriculum...I understand that this practice is done in a painful way, and the animal suffers. I do not consider this ‘spiritual.’”
“I was horrified to hear of BOSS' including the killing of a docile sheep on one of its treks. I don't know how long this practice has been going on, but I strongly urge you to discontinue this absolutely inhumane, cruel and ethically wrong ‘event.’
I can't even imagine signing up for one of your treks and being forced to witness such an act of unnecessary cruelty. It's unconscionable to ask unsuspecting people to kill (inhumanely, with no training, no stunning, using a dull knife) a defenseless, docile and starving animal for no justifiable reason. It amounts to simple and sadistic torture of a living being. I was appalled at your lack of compassion and conscience. I sincerely hope that you reconsider this aspect of your treks and do away with it immediately. I look forward to your response.”
“There is NOTHING spiritual about killing a DOMESTICATED animal with a dull knife. You should be teaching respect for life, not making people kill a TIED UP animal. You aren't even honest about it; you recruit these people for your course, and they are unknowingly signing up to murder innocent animals! You disgust me!!! The latest animal - the poor helpless sheep who was tortured with a DULL knife - is just the latest in your atrocities. Shame on you!!”
“You are the sickest, most worthless bunch of pathetic excuses for outdoor enthusiasts I have ever heard of. You should cut each other's throats and leave the helpless, obviously more intelligent, animals alone. Let me see, who is that group in Iraq who is doing the beheading of those people? BOSS perhaps? 6 of one group of sickos, half dozen the other group of sickos! Yeah, you e-mail me. I want to hear from you!”
“U fucking bitches.
thats not hunting. u r peices of shit. u should be arrested for animal cruelty.
i HOPE SOMEONE KILLS U AND U FUCKING SUFFER AND GET TORTURED FOR HOURS. i
would rip your god damn spine out of your ass,
castrate u and shove your dick down your throat then up your ass if i ever
saw you kill an animal the way one of your students described. fucker. You’re
going to hell.”
“What is so spiritual about killing an animal? You guys are creeeeepy!! Here's a loop you can throw into your studies: try surviving off of the earth! You can subsist on plants, people have been doing it for years!”
Hi, I recently stumbled across someone who took your training courses. And to my surprise found out you were using live animals as an exercise. To leave them in the woods for days and not feed them, then to have as an exercise to hunt them and when found to cut there throats, and have the participant let the blood flow into a bucket, while the animal was still alive! This is horrific! I think you ought to make sure you put this on your website also when advertising how your trailing experiences could be so fulfilling!!
My father is a hunter of deer, rabbit, hog. And he also camps. And in my 40 year's of experience, and schooling I've never heard of teaching this type of act!! I am appalled that you would teach this as a learned experience! Where’s your heart? There's a lot to survival, but torturing and killing sheep is not one of them! I wonder if CBS and ABC and such are aware of this! I'm going to contact them, and also 20/20 and CNN and see if they will run an article on your wilderness camps!! STOP this type of abuse or else the law will not be on your side!!!!”
“Your organization has recently interested me, so I thought that I would do some research about your course. Outdoor survival is an important thing afterall. I was completely HORRIFIED though, to find out that you force your students to kill a tethered, starved, helpless sheep to pass the course. First of all, killing an animal in its condition will prepare us for nothing except 'how to be the best sadist you can be' in the wilderness. When surviving in the wilderness there are of course berries and plants, etc.
But that's really not my problem. What you made those students do is barbaric, sadistic, terrifying, mentally scarring, horrifying, cruel, and just plain wrong. You disgust me. What disgusts me even more though is that you believe that starving a defenceless animal for three days, tieing it to a tree and brutally torturing and eventually killing it would be greatly spiritual? If I were ever put into the situtation where I had to do such a horrible thing to something so pure, the only thing spiritual about it would be that I might feel like killing myself afterwards.
Your students most likely feel great guilt and shame for what you forced them to do. I just can't even begin to imagine the trauma that it has put them through, and most certainly wont even think of the trauma that you caused the poor animals you use to 'teach' with. May whatever god you choose have mercy on your souls for you most certainly have greatly sinned in the eyes of humankind. Good day.”
“I was horrified to read that your school finds it acceptable to starve and sadistically kill sheep for no good reason whatsoever. Surely society has evolved to a point where this sort of thing is seen as totally barbaric and unnecessary. Would you treat your family dog like this? Would you leave him with no food for three days and then saw through his throat with a blunt knife? Is it more acceptable to hack at a defenceless sheep just because it can't whimper and cry in pain like a dog? What kind of disturbed childhoods do you people have that you have to resort to overpowering animals to feel good about yourselves? Why not undergo some counseling and get to the root of your insecurities instead of having to take them out on an animal that can't defend itself?
It is deeply disturbing that at any given point your company is responsible for a frightened, hungry animal being tied to a tree and awaiting a knife. It wouldn't happen in Britain, and I'm horrified that it happens in any country that tries to pretend it is civilised. Apparently you can tell how evolved a country is by how it treats its animals, so you have now lumped the USA in with the developing world. Well done.”
“I was quite disgusted to hear about the killing of a starved, tethered sheep during your survival courses. In fact it made me sick. Nobody in a real survival situation is going to come across a half starved, tethered sheep. I truly hope that you will stop killing animals as part of your survival courses.”
“Is killing helpless starving animals tied to trees in your courses? Please tell me when I'll see an animal tied to a tree in the wild and does that give me a right to kill it? Why not let it free? Why doesn't your facility practice that?”
"Wow! Great survival course you have here where you tie down innocent animals and then cut their throats. THERE IS NOTHING SPIRITUAL ABOUT KILLING ANIMALS!!! If you think there is, you really need to check yourself into a hospital. If someone was stranded and had to hunt for food, the situation alone will cause a person to think in survival mood, and our human instincts would kick in.Please stop killing animals, it is not required in a survival course.”
“Your killing of innocent animals during your survival treks is not only sick and evil but the opposite of 'spiritual.' Stop killing these animals!! Outline in a PowerPoint presentation how to hunt for food if you were stranded in the wilderness and ANY humane, sensible and feeling person would NEVER slaughter innocent animals as a demonstration!!! The media and your potential client base would be interested in hearing this atrocity.”
“I have just recently become aware of that your survival program includes the inhumane slaughter of a live and starving animal, a fact I find totally disgusting. The bad publicity your company is receiving will certainly affect sales of your so called "survival" program. Your terrible reputation for cruelty is well deserved.
Since the management and employees of your program seem to have been born without a heart, feelings or compassion of any kind for living creatures, appealing to your common sense or concern for the feelings of animals would be pointless. It is obvious that a penchant for cruelty and a lack of ethics must be prerequisites for being a BOSS employee or manager.The fact that your bank account will certainly decrease because of your disgusting program is reward enough.
"I would like for you all to think about the cruelty you have inflicted
on an harmless animal, all for the sake of money and the "so called"
experience of outdoor survival you provide your customers. Your program is
disgusting and is doomed to fail because of your cruel and inhumane decisions.
The bad publicity is just beginning for your company now that P.E.T.A. has
become aware of your situation. I look forward to the news that your company
has gone out of business, news I am sure is just around the corner.”
“I was appalled to learn of your practice to starve and slaughter a sheep as part of your survival course. How can you justify this - it would never happen in the wild, and it certainly isn't spiritual. I am not vegan, or an extremist and can accept killing animals humanely for food, but starving them first?? I hope you will reconsider this practice.”
“Killing helpless animals is NOT spiritual - it's disgusting! You are not a survival school, you're EVIL! I do hope the Colorado DA gets a hold of you for felony animal cruelty, revokes your business license, & throws your sadistic asses in prison! You should be ashamed of yourselves. I hope you don't have pets; they could be the next to suffer on one of your trips.”
“I am horrified by the inhumane killing of defenseless sheep that you allow to happen at your school. This is totally unacceptable and immortal. How can you call your self a school, schools are suppose to teach good things, not this ugly practice. This is in no way spiritual, and for you to even suggest such a thing, makes you monsters. I hope you rot, and I your souls are lost forever. You make me sick. I will let everyone know what sick practices you do, and help fight against you being allowed to continue these practices. I hope you come back as a defenseless sheep in another life and have someone do this to you. You are not even human.”
“Hello. I am only interested in torturing and killing sheep. May I get a custom programme that includes this only? Preferably several and I would like to kill each one differently? Thanks.”
“I read about your cowardly requirement of torturing and killing a tethered sheep as part of your school. What the hell does this have to do with survival? True survival training would consist of students hunting you cowards like dogs, at least giving you the chance of not being spotted by GPS and tethered. You cowardly bastards should be ashamed! By the way, my husband has received real survival training and he is also appalled.”
“Hello, I am not going to e-mail a hate letter but your cruelty to animals really hurts my heart. I am deeply saddened by your actions and how many animals you are hurting. A distant family relative informed me of this and I was horrified in his words. What he told me was horrible and I couldn't possibly imagine any human being taking part in such a thing. I ask......No, I plead you to please stop this abuse. Just hearing about it gives me tears.”
“Why would you kill an animal to promote survival skills? How backwards is your organization? Real survival skills would involve not harming the environment you are in- leaving not even a footprint.”
“Your killing of sheep is deplorable! What are you teaching our children. Do you really believe they are going to stumble upon a tied up animal. You are a disgrace at any real survival skills. No animal should be put through such agony! I will be one of the many that will check into how legal this is. I hope you are prepared to suffer the consequences!”
“You apparently expect your wimpy graduates and hapless hikers to stumble upon tethered, domesticated, easy-to-clean animals while lost in the wilderness. That's a laugh. Whoever thought of this program ought to have his head examined. A sheep!? You've got to be in comedies!! Perhaps on Saturday Night Live! I'll contact Leno and Company to put you in for a one night stand! Imbeciles!!!”
“Gee imagine my luck....I stumble upon a domestic sheep...tied to a tree...starved so his intestines are clean...and he holds still for 5 minutes as I hack away at his neck. How is that at all a likely in a survival situation? Why not leave the useless butchering out of the scenario? It really isn't teaching anything about survival, huh?”
“I was recently made aware that part of your survival training course including butchering sheep. I have participated in many survival training courses and not once have been asked to participate in the slaughter of a wild animal much less a unfed, docile sheep- and with a dull knife no less. Contrary to your obvious doctrine that survival equates killing animals in the most inhumane way possible, it is not necessary to torture animals in order to survive in the wilderness. In fact, a truly innovative and humane training program teaches people to work *with* nature and not simply go into the woods wreaking havoc on every thing you encounter. Your methods are barbaric.”
“I was beyond appalled to learn that you include the killing of a live animal in a survival course. Aside from the fact that in the "wild" you are not going to come across a tethered, starving domestic animal this is an asinine idea. You are not teaching survival, you are teaching people to desensitize themselves to the suffering of a helpless animal. This does not create survivors, it creates killers. The only possible explanation for this exercise is the idea that if you are stranded you may need to kill an animal for food. If someone is truly stranded in the wilderness it is irresponsible to teach them something that could get them seriously injured. A wild animal does not react the same way a domestic sheep does when captured. Domestic animals have been bred to be docile, a wild animal will by instinct fight for its life and could quite possible injure its attacker. It would be much wiser to stick to teaching people how to find plant sources of food.”
“I am extremely bothered by your definition of a "spiritual" experience. Brutally killing an innocent animal is not only cruel to the animal, but terrorizes everyone involved. There is enough violence going on in the world, please don't escalate it by attempting to desensitize unaware individuals to the suffering of innocent beings! Obviously, what you're doing is extremely wrong and disturbing if participants have complained to PETA about you. Please reconsider your program and attempt to teach caring and compassion,by not utilizing murder.”
“Please, please stop the slaughter of innocent animals. Since when will a stranded hiker come across an animal tied to a tree waiting to be killed and eaten? I'm just an average citizen outraged that this sort of thing is happening today. Can't you teach people what kinds of plants to eat and to take along granola bars or something? How would you like to be tied to a tree, starving and waiting for a bear or panther to rip you open so he can eat you? Gee, they have to survive too. Come on, have a heart. Animals are tortured enough in this world and they can't always defend themselves.”
“I am an avid outdoor enthusiast, but I cannot imagine the cruelty you put poor animals through that have been tethered up and starved for days. I will not promote your organization, nor will I ever understand why you could do such a thing. That is not how someone in the wild would survive. It appears to me that no one on your staff knows how to survive in the wild, nor could they. I hope one day that you all will realize the cruelty you are teaching others and the pain that the helpless animals go through. You make me sick!”
“I would just like to let you know how sickened i am to have read about the "spiritual" killing which you have at the end of your so called exercise. How can one honestly believe this to be an exercise in survival? when out on ones own, would you just find a starved sheep tied to a tree? I think the practice is ridiculous and you should be ashamed of yourselves. I myself have participated in many survival exercises (being a former member of a paramilitary organisation in Canada) and not once have i heard of such an atrocity. It’s just too bad that its not you whose throat is being slit. But i guess thats just "wrong" because you are a human, and they are animal right? Sad... so sad indeed. I hope someone slits your throat assholes. Write back to me if you wish, if you think you can justify your cruel actions.”
“As a resident of Boulder and an animal activist I am shocked, horrified, and utterly disgusted to learn of the sheep killing that you had your outdoor students participate in. I will do everything I can to make this known to the public. I will spread the word to everyone I know. I will write the newspapers and call the news stations. I will do whatever it takes to see that you are boycotted and make no money. This is inhumane and completely disgusting.”
“As an animals rights activist, it has come to my attention that there have been recent reports of cruelty involving an assignment where a group of 7 students must kill a starved sheep. As the owner of a pet lamb named Skippy, I am horrified and sickened at the thought of the cruelty that these young students were assigned. Starving the sheep for 3 days was one thing, but then tying the innocent creature to a tree and having students hack away at his throat with a dull knife is another. Because of the dull-ness of the knife, the students were unsuccessful in killing the sheep, instead they only caused great amounts of pain. Please stop these cruel "assignments" or demonstrate with a non-living object, whether it be a deceased sheep or a model.”
“I am disgusted that in this day and age animal cruelty still exists. I heard about the ritualized killing of the sheep that you guys call "spiritual" or should I say "sadistic". You starve the poor defenceless sheep and then you slowly murder him. To be spiritual you live and respect nature and all its glory. You guys just rip through it like a knife through hot butter with no respect to the earth and all its wonders. If you must kill an animal, and I mean only MUST, you do not starve and torture it for three days or do you kill it slowly. I am disgusted! You are just as bad as the technology you despise in your philosophy. I hope one day you grow up and stop pretending you are bloodthirsty maniacs and respect nature and what it gives us....including sheep which I find to be beautiful and gentle creatures. Who do you think you are to do that to these creatures. If someone slowly killed a member of your family you would be screaming MURDER!”
“I am so glad I heard about your sheep slaughtering before I signed up for one of your courses. I really, really hope that you remove this grotesque idea of 'survival skills' from your curriculum, which in every other way sounds so valuable. Please contact me if you discontinue the slaughtering of starving domesticated farm animals. I'd be a lot more interested in surviving on bark and moss, personally.”
“I work as a challenge course facilitator, back country guide, and survival skills specialist. Never, have I ever even considered the slaughter of an innocent animal as part of a training exercise or "something spiritual". It is deplorable that you include this as part of your program. I'm telling everyone I know (very large network) about your sneaky and morbid practices. Shame on you!!!!”
“Some years back, I raised a pet sheep from one day old. She was part of the family and was with us (started in the house) for 5 years. While we were moving, we had to leave her for a time at my in-law's place. Salem was tethered to their travel trailer, close to the house. In the middle of the night, a large black bear found her and demolished half of her, taking the rest with him down the hill.We were all horrified that this gentle creature had met such a painful and sad death.The fact that your teams cut the throats of sheep in the name of education is incredible. To what end this is justified completely eludes me. Black bears do not know better. You and your survival school should.”
“PLEASE.................. Stop killing the innocent animals in your program. There is absolutely nothing SPIRITUAL about torturing animals. This is absolutly HORRENDOUS!!!! There has to be a way to bring spirituality into a persons life without torture!!!!!!!!
My son and his friend were in the process of enrolling in your classes but.......have since withdrawn and have told others about this gruesome practice. They are appalled to say the least. They are taking there business elsewhere. I work as a CEO in the medical community. I have thousands of employees. I am getting word out to EVERYONE about your practice. It will no longer be hush hush. We are also sending out flyers to EVERYONE else that we can think of. Please discontinue this practice!! How would you like to be starved to death than have your throat cut???????? These animals have feelings just like our own pets do. Once again I will be doing EVERYTHING in my power to get the word out about this. We hope to begin a new Boycott against your business unless this is discontinued.”
“Holy fuck, are you guys ever sick! Go back to your caves! Civilized human beings don't have to slaughter innocent animals to feel better 'bout themselves. Not only gross but totally sickening.”
“I normally do not do this, but after hearing about the sheep slaughter, I felt this was necessary. I am very disappointed in your instructed behavior...how far has our society come?? There is no need for training for slaughter, our ancestors have done this for centuries without a training camp!! Plus, when you are in a survival situation like that, instincts kick in...This is outrageous, disgusting and pitiful on your part.”
“I am a member of PETA and I am horrified at the torture and unbelievable cruelty your outfit has subjected innocent sheep to. There is nothing ‘spiritual’ about starving and killing animals, especially in the manner in which you use. I ask that you discontinue this part of your outdoor curriculum. We (Americans) are supposed to represent a "civilized" way of treating animals; your actions clearly don't reflect this. Thank you.”
“Dear Josh, I cannot believe my eyes and ears. Are you thinking you are back in the time of the Temple and, with Yom Kippur approaching, you need to slaughter some animals? Or did you starve and torment the sheep just for kicks? Whatever reason you had in mind, shame on you. The first chief rabbi of Israel, Rav Kook, was vegetarian and many subsequent chief rabbis have issued protections for animals, citing the Jewish principle of tsar ba'alei chayim (preventing suffering of animals). I sincerely hope the New Year finds you a more compassionate and decent human being. P.S. Yes, I am vegetarian, no, I don’t wear leather, and yes, I have a life.”
“Um, I was planning on taking my entire boys youth group to one of your classes but then one of the boys told me about your practice of killing animals for...I dunno, sport?? That is something we try not to teach our young children today. What person stuck in the wilderness is going to come across a goat that has been starved and tethered to a tree? I want my boys to experience real wilderness survival. So we are taking our business elsewhere. It was Albert Einstein who said ‘You can judge the evolutionary progress of a community by how well they treat their animals.’ Your making the rest of us look bad.”
“I am writing to convey my sincere outrage towards your facility and its gruesome behavior concerning animal torture and slaughter. I recently read a report by P.E.T.A. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in which they clearly outlined a trek that took place at your facility where you starved and tied up a helpless sheep for three days. Only then to be released into the hands of seven students who proceeded to saw away at the sheeps throat in the attempt to kill her. As appalling as that is, you then watched her die a slow and painful death. And you consider this a training exercise. I please urge you to reconsider your conduct where animals are concerned. This is murder.”
“My husband and I have both been employed in the outdoor education / natural resources field for over 10 years. Our background, training, and daily living include living as simply and as earth-holistically as possible. We consider your artificial "survival" situations that include the tethering, starving, and slaughtering of a domestic animal to be unconscionable. We have notified all of the related national field organizations to which we belong about your deplorable curriculum and are advising them to forward the information to all of their members.”
“I cannot believe that you people are so ignorant to think that torturing and slaughtering animals is doing any human being any good. How the hell is that teaching people 'survival skills' as you so call it. Whomever is in charge of this activity should be treated the same way those poor ship are being treated. I am thoroughly disgusted with your 'school' and plan on informing everyone I know about this.”
“You are so CRUUUUUUUUUEL, there is nothing ‘spiritual’ about starving and killing animals. Would you like to be sacrificed that way, would you like to suffer like to poor, innocent and defenseless animal. I can't believe that there are humans without hearts like you. PLEASE for the respect of animals discontinue this part of your outdoor curriculum. LIVE AND LET LIVE!!! Animals are not ours to eat, experiment on or use for entertainment.”
“I suggest you put an IMMEDIATE halt to this practice or we will motivate our members and activists across the nation to get involved. “
“I was shocked and disgusted by your brutally butchering sheep under the guise of survival training. There's so much killing on television, all one needs do is watch and learn! Why the reality of blood and guts? Please stop this insane activity immediately!”
“Your practice of starving, torturing and killing animals is depraved, sadistic and deplorable, to say the least! I hope you know that God is watching you and you are going straight to hell for your actions. These animals are here to test our compassion and caring as human beings, you failed the test miserably. The fact that you could do this to these beautiful creatures makes you less than human and I for one hope you are one day treated the same way. STOP THIS MADNESS NOW!!...while God may still forgive you.”
“As a Colorado native, I am disgusted by this program and sad that you are run out of my state. I will do everything I can to let everyone I know hear about your why your program is unethical.”
“Please notify me right away when you have taken this cruel and distasteful practice out of all your courses. Until then, I will spread the word to all my friends and family about this horrific act, and we will be sure to boycott your organization until appropriate action to end this slaughter has been taken.”
“Is this where I sign up to be a tough guy by killing a sheep that is tied up and half starved? Silly me , I thought my Navy SEAL training was tough... I guess if I'm ever starving to death on a farm your class might come in handy. You're a joke!”
“Just what docile animal is going to be out in the real wilderness. I will do everything in my power to publicize your backward and cruel mentality. And my intent will be to destroy the profits of your company through the bad word of mouth, and since I work with the public, this will not be difficult.”
“I have just learned that toward the end of your training programs, or at least some of them, students are made to hold down a terrified and starved sheep and hack its throat. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!? You claim to be in tune with nature, showing people a softer side through the wilderness, blah, blah, blah. You're nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. What kind of sick person does something like that, then claims it's such a wonderful, spiritual experience. And of course you don't allow pictures. The rest of the civilized world "just wouldn't understand." Of course. I can see that. That makes perfect sense. But there's a reason they wouldn't understand - because it's sick! You're sick! I am definitely telling everyone I know about you. You are definitely going to lose a lot of customers over this ritual evil of yours. I have family in Boulder, CO, and I'm telling them all about you. It takes some kind of sicko to do that to an innocent animal.”
“I just received the following email from RMAD. Is this for real? I am a sheep-eating biologist with extensive outdoor/wilderness experience but I can see no logical reason for this exercise. Far from teaching compassion for the earth, this reinforces viewing the world in a commodity-driven, materialistic manner. I was interested taking a course with you but I will take my business elsewhere. Shame on you!”
“I've read this article several times and I've continually asked myself ‘What kind of person who do such a thing?’ I looked at the pictures of the faces of the people from BOSS, and for the most part, they look like normal faces. What gets me the most is the part about how "spiritual" it is to kill a domesticated sheep who's been starved for three days. How do you think the sheep felt dying an agonizing death? I feel very, very sorry for you people. Do you think that you're doing the right thing? Do you honestly think that?
I prefer to think that at some point, you'll be face to face with your maker and you'll have to answer to Him for your actions here on Earth. Until then, I pray that you'll stop these torturous activities. I really feel sorry for you....all of you.”
“Please stop this disgusting and inhumane practice of butchering tethered animals in the name of "survival." Starving an animal for several days so it can be more easily eaten after its killed is barbaric and hardly the way someone would find an animal in the wild. Butchering
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? Im sorry. I'm supposed to be cool, calm, collected, and polite. I'll try. In severe wilderness circumstances, sometimes people are forced to resort to cannibalism. Will that be taught in a future outdoor survival class? In some cases, climbers have to cut off one of their own limbs. How will you know how to do that unless you practice first? Shame on you for making a poor animal suffer on the flimsy pretext that it simulates a ptential real-lifer situation, in this case, encountering a tethered, starved, tame animal.Spiritual? When I lived in North Idaho, there were devil-worshiping cults who called such activities "spiritual." Maybe that's what you meant.
Surely you weren't referring to Numbers 22:21, which teaches that it's sinful to mistreat an animal. Or Luke 14:5, in which Jesus makes clear that we have an ocerriding obligation to help an animal in distress. Or Isaiah 1:11, which says that God finds sacrifices disgusting. You caused a thinking, breathing, feeling, innocent creature to suffer. You did a horrible thing, and no amount of dressing it up in "spirituality" or "education" can erase that. Have the authorities been notified?”
“Please tell PETA to ‘Stick it’. Knowing how to butcher an animal is a very important skill for anyone to know when it comes to survival training. Please do not be buffaloed by these vegan freaks in any way.” [Unsolicited, not from a BOSS alum]
“So I read about the inhumane sheep experience you provide your customers. Although, I personally do not eat meat or hunt, I come from a family of many hunters. I did hunt from age 12-16 and find nothing wrong with responsible hunters who eat their kill and kill humanely. However, a tethered sheep? Get real. Like a docile deer will just approach a lost hiker and he will just cut his throat, gut him and eat him. I do realize food is essential for survival and to teach a complete survival course, however, I don't think teaching someone to kill a tethered sheep is effective.I would not like to see this happen to even a wild deer, but I certainly could understand your reasoning a little more. Although, not my first choice, an alternative might be to provide a humanely killed sheep and demonstrate on the painlessly killed animal the throat cutting and guting experience.
I do understand how killing and gutting might be a necessary part of your program, however, since no one is really lost here and you do have the option, you could provide a little humanity for the experimental animal involved. Please.”
“What exactly is wrong with you people? Are you just evil? I just read
about your practice of starving then brutally killing an animal ...for what?
education?
I have an idea, why don’t you give your students guns (of course, REAL
ones so they can have an authentic experience!) and then you and whoever came
up with this brutality dress up in terrorist clothes and let them see if they
can eliminate you. Oh it would be tremendously helpful in case we are ever
attacked again, don’t you think? Now THAT is useful and solid training.
Ok a little dangerous for you but, frankly, who cares? Your capacity for cruelty
and stupidity is truly overwhelming. I’ll do all I can legally to draw
attention to your business and cost you business if I can.”
“I was absolutely appalled to learn that BOSS was involved in the grusome slaughter of starved sheep. Although I like what you teach your students because I feel it is important, I find this activity to be absurd. I know people who have attended, and after this, they are embarrassed to have done so. Either this place is run by sadistic individuals, or your training "programs" are way off the mark.”
“I have heard great things about your program and have been interested in it for a while, however a friend informed me of your sheep killings as the "surprise" at the end of the course and now there is no way I would want to pay to support that. Let me know when you have discontinued your sacrificing of innocent starved animals.”
“My boyfriend and I were planning to move to Boulder after I finish college and enroll in the Survival school as we are from Ohio and not too wilderness savvy. However, after reading the information PETA has recently released concerning the torture and inhumane killing of an innocent sheep, tied to a tree and starved for days, (which obviously wasn't in the itinerary, or the animal lovers which exposed your "school's" cruel endeavors, wouldn't have exposed you.)
I can understand teaching hunting techniques for survival; however, sheep typically aren't pre-tied to trees conveniently starved for easy intestinal cleaning in the wild. I find it horrifying and most of all, cruel and unethical. I find nothing spiritual about killing a helpless animal especially after being tied up and wrestled to the ground by 7 people then having its throat sliced by a dull life. Imagine the fear and suffering endured by that innocent creature. My boyfriend and I will definitely not enroll in your course for survival schools now. We will learn wilderness skills from people with a heart. Your school definitely does not belong in a beautiful, wonderful place like Boulder.”
"I am totally appalled to be informed that your BOSS course involves a horrifically crude slaughter of an innocent and starved sheep! Not only is this replusively cruel, but the attitude of your staff and instructors regarding this "surprise" is shockingly inappropriate. My husband and I are not idealistic and naive college students - we are professionals that live in a very upscale community in the most expensive state in our country. My point is – WE ARE your "marketing target."
Mr. Bernstein, I assure you, the manner in which you "teach" your service will be equally as appalling and sickening to the many family members, friends, business associates, and corporations that we are in continual contact with. I am certain a graduate of Cornell would be able to creatively come up with a more compassionate solution to this part of your program. Please assure me that you will terminate your brutal slaughter immediately.”
“.....I am at a loss for words at the depravity your company has created and encouraged. The starvation and torture of ANY living thing is ridiculous in its unacceptability. As an Indian, I am familiar with the 'spirituality' your agents refer to when asked about these killings. Do you apologise to the animal? Do you thank him for his sacrifice? Do you ensure that death is immediate? Do you waste nothing? There is NOTHING spiritual about sanctioned torture and wanton killing. If there is any justice left in this country you WILL be brought to task for this. Is there any boundary to your horrific behavior? I will NEVER, for ANY reason, do business with your company, and I intend to forward information about you and the cruelty you perpetrate to every person I know. Shame on you!!!!”
“Hey Guys, Just read about the despicable slaughter of docile animals, included in your program, from an animal rights site. Just thought I would drop you a line to let you know I can only hope those of you involved in this "spiritual" act can be struck and maimed by automobiles, or perhaps, more fitting, suffer a long and painful dose of gangrene. I will happily include you in the animal rights literature we dispense at shows. I hope your "business" fails miserably and endeavor to be key in this. Fuck you.”
“You stop this grisly, barbaric activity NOW! I'm writing your newspaper and spreading the word--do we understand each other here. Perhaps you'd like to tell your perfectly reasonable account to the nightly news, eh? Then perhaps you might understand a wee bit of the fear that sheep went through so you could have a spiritual experience. My God, you want a spiritual experience, try hang gliding. This is just disgusting and you make me ashamed to be a fellow human being.”
“I am TRYING to hold back and be "civil" in what I am writing here. I can not believe that you would hold such a USELESS and extremely ABUSIVE "program" in trying to teach survival skills to unsuspecting students. This is abuse and will NOT be tolerated. I, and among many others, will be forming a campaign to inform people of what BOSS really is about. It is just a matter of time before you suffer the consequences of your abusive and STUPID actions and all I can say is that you will totally deserve it. Everyone at BOSS should be extremely ashamed of themselves. I hope one day that you will suffer the same fate as those poor sheep... I look forward to hearing from you and will only keep contacting you until I do receive a response.”
“I was planning on trying out your facility but after hearing that killing a half starved sheep is part of the coarse I am not ever going to visit your facility. I have also informed my employees and our business affiliates to have nothing to do with your company. Animal cruelty is unacceptable in all its forms.”
“You are a criminal racket organizing animal torture activities for compensation. You should - and could easily -be prosecuted at the felony level.”
“Dear Mr. Bernstein, I just left you a voicemail expressing my outrage
and disgust at your practice of torturing and killing sheep in your longer
courses. (Starving the sheep and then slowly hacking away at their throats
with a dull knife certainly constitutes torture). This is a cruel and needless
practice, since most people who are lost in the wilderness do not happen to
stumble across a tethered and starved sheep.
I am saddened and disappointed to find that a business I used to have so much
respect for actually practices animal abuse. I expect a response to this mail
detailing what you are planning to do about this. Thank you.”
“Why don't you try doing that to yourselves! I am sure there are many people you could do that to starting with you and your cohorts!”
“This is one of the most pointless, cruel and dumbest things have ever read, how in the HELL can you compare killing a sheep (which is a very docile and friendly herbivore) with something that you might have to do when you're out roaming the wild???? I hope you go out of business.”
“I recently learned of the animal cruelty that is being practiced by those who participate in a "field study course" at BOSS. I understand that the purpose of this is to prepare people if ever they find themselves lost in the wilderness, but I don't believe that this is a healthy way to learn survival skills. Perhaps you could practice with a dummy of some sort, any kind of alternative to killing a defenseless animal would be better than what is currently being done. As a person who enjoys the environment, I think that the idea of learning survival skills to become less dependent on technology is great. If not for the things being done to these animals, I would fully support your organization. Unfortunately I can't ignore the injustices being performed and I must recognize the problem. I'd like to think that a caring person would stop forcing these starved animals to sit through a slow and painful death, as they are forced to do now. Thank you for listening to my opinions, I hope to hear from you soon.”
“I just read of your killing of a sheep during one of your courses .You starved the animal and then slit its thoat. I am sickened .Shame on you ...I doubt you care ,but other people will hear of this. People who feel as strongly as I do about animal cruelty. And you can bet, I will never spend one penny of my money in your state. Hopefully, if enough people contact your governor and tell them this maybe they will shut you down. Shame on you!!!”
“I just read (PETA site) about the sheep slaughter taught in your SURVIVAL COURSE. I am Active Duty Navy Corpsman recently back from Kuwait. Although I did not need to practice survival skills in the desert, I find these skills to be vitally important when venturing out into the woods. I want to encourage you to continue teaching the skills needed to survive in the woods. It may seem a little unorthodox to those who don't know what "survival" actually means. As a side note: Squirrels might be a better animal for the class since they're more plentiful & easier to capture than a goat or sheep. Otherwise, keep up the good work!!!”
“I recently looked into your courses and was very excited to be a part. But having talked to some people who had used your services, I was horrified to find how some of the courses ended. For such a place that promotes the use and love of the outdoors, you are a disgrace to this world. You have no respect for nature and no respect for anyone who pays you for your services. I will make sure that everyone I know, or anyone considering your services know how you really treat innocent animals. It is disgusting.”
“Please stop starving, torturing and killing innocent animals! I am appalled by the actions of your "school" and deeply saddened by these horrific exercises. It is 2004 and we have moved past the cave man stage. Thank you for your time.”
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