Why do you still exhibit dead animals in your designs?

12 years ago

This saddens me; we know much better now that animals deserve the life they were given. Real men and women embrace the sanctity of life. and do not celebrate taking it. I wrote you on this before and the response was that the animal heads were fabricated; well these clearly are not. I will let my friends whom I've recommended Houzz to know that you highlight designers who still think this is art; as well as the contractors who recommended your site to begin with. I cannot change the world here; nor can I change the way you edit your pages. It's a lovely website but I will no longer visit. Many thanks. Mrs. K. Isaiah Black

Colorful Ranch · More Info

Featured Answer

maggiegulati

12 years ago

Dear viewer:

I regret that you took offense at the photo of some antique taxidermy on the photo of my home on this Houzz page. I’m sorry you feel that we’ve disparaged these animals and the sanctity of life. As the owner of the home featured here, let me assure you I do value life and I do love animals. The taxidermy specimens you see here are all antiques and most were collected from persons who were bequeathed them from estates of parents or grandparents.

Our home and property, for your information, has housed over the years dozens of animals which are rescues - horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, birds, dogs, and cats - to name a few. We adore animals and do not engage in or support hunting. My interest in antique taxidermy comes from a life-long love of natural history museums, which are filled with old and new taxidermy. These mounted specimens have long been used to educate adults and children about the wonders of the natural world. Today’s museums, incidentally, do not support hunting, but in fact maintain their collections through the securing of old specimens or the mounting of deceased zoo animals.

The alternative to receiving these mounts would have been to see them discarded as trash which to me seems grotesque and unthinkable. I appreciate your disgust at the idea of someone killing animals with the express purpose of securing trophies. I share your sentiments about such cruelty but I don’t apologize for rescuing and receiving the remains of these beautiful creatures any more than I do for rescuing the lives of the living ones.

Ms. M. Gulati

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

jamiedheim
12 years ago
There is so much disimformation out there regarding the 'taking' of animals. We recently returned from Africa, and I can tell you that if it were not for the hunters, the population of wildlife would be even more devastatingly threatened. Only old, sterile animals are carefully culled by hunters with excellent guides, many of them Zulu. Licensing for the taking of an animal is strictly regulated, and the fees are used to provide security against poaching, fire control ( which most times, is arson, used to deflect attention so that poaching can be successfully accomplished. There are no two people who love animals more than my husband and me. We are southern born, proud of it, and have so much respect for nature, wildlife, and conservation. The ducks and geese that are in our freezer now, were paid for through wildlife stamps required for hunting. These stamps have paid for waterfowl habitat, sanctuaries, and conservation efforts that would not happen were it not for the dedicated hunters and fisherman.
Patty McGrew
10 years ago
I agree Jamie. I don't personally know any hunter (& I know hundreds) that hunt "just" for trophies. Just because an animal is mounted doesn't mean it wasn't used for food as well. There's nothing more organic than eating what you killed & processed yourself. Many hunters donate meat to homeless programs, etc. Lastly, in addition to the fees for licenses, stamps, etc going to sustain wildlife, the fact is if many animals (like deer) weren't hunted, they would quickly over populate and starve slowly and painfully. The spread of disease would quickly threaten the species as a whole.
PRO
Ayre & Co.
10 years ago
You can find taxidermy, antique and modern here www.ayreandco.com
Paul White
10 years ago
The lady said that she is gone and not coming back so I don't understand why you're apologizing to her, she'll never see it. As for me I will live my life my way and if anyone is offended it isn't going to draw an apology from me. Somebody somewhere is offended by something at any given moment of the day, this was just her moment to be offended by you living your life your way, I'm sure by now she has found someone else to be offended by or perhaps someone else has found reason to be offended by her. Live your life your way and don't waste your time on those who would try to rule your life with the guilt they try to push off on you.
Leslie
6 years ago
Exploiting animals in order to use their dead bodies as decorations is vile and despicable. There is no educational value in displaying dead animals or their body parts in your home. Calling hunting “conservation” is an oxymoron. Historically humans have decimated thousands of species of animals by hunting them to extinction and disrupting the natural balance of nature. The fox in your display was not killed for meat, only sick human pleasure. Would it be moral to stuff and display your pets after they die? Or mount grandmas head on the wall for the historical value? There is no difference.