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THE DENTIST WHO KILLED A LION

Dr. Walter the most in-famous dentist in the world right now

 

The Media Backlash & Public Outrage

When Dr. Walter posted the hunting pics of Cecil the lion he never imagined the backlash that would be coming his way ! This public outrage has made the dentist the most trending dentist ever till today. Dr. Walter has been trending non stop for the last 72 hours. His clinic website crashed because of excess of protest comments & the memes.

 

So, you can see the public outcry over this issue of hunting that involved a dentist hunter. There is a huge risk of public backlash on his dental practice.

Palmer said in a statement on Tuesday that he didn’t know the hunt was illegal, and would cooperate with authorities if they reached out to him. His hunting guide, Theo Bronkhorst, and the owner of the property where Cecil was first shot, Honest Trymore Ndlovu, appeared in court in Zimbabwe on Wednesday, and are both facing up to 10 years in jail or a $20,000 fine. It’s uncertain whether Palmer will face similar charges, or whether he knew the kill was illegal. The “trophy” — Cecil’s head and skin — have been confiscated by Zimbabwe authorities.

Public Protest in Front of Dr. Walter’s Dental Clinic asking to send him to Zimbabwe for trial.

Seeing the public outcry Dr. Walter has tendered an apology but it doesn’t seem to be working for now ! In his apology letter he stated that –

To my valued patients: As you may have already heard, I have been in the news over the last few days for reasons that have nothing to do with my profession or the care I provide for you. I want you to know of this situation and my involvement In addition to spending time with my family, one of my passions outside dentistry is hunting. I’ve been a life-long hunter since I was a child growing up in North Dakota. I don’t often talk about hunting with my patients because it can be a divisive and emotionally charged topic. I understand and respect that not everyone shares the same views on hunting.

In early July, I was in Zimbabwe on a bow hunting trip for big game. I hired several professional guides and they secured all proper permits. To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted. I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favourite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt. I have not been contacted by authorities in Zimbabwe or in the U.S. about this situation, but will assist them in any inquiries they may have.

Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion. That was never my intention. The media interest in this matter – along with a substantial number of comments and calls from people who are angered by this situation and by the practice of hunting in general – has disrupted our business and our ability to see our patients. For that disruption, I apologize profoundly for this inconvenience and promise you that we will do our best to resume normal operations as soon as possible. We are working to have patients with immediate needs referred to other dentists and will keep you informed of any additional developments. On behalf of all of us at River Bluff Dental, thank you for your support.

Sincerely, Walter J. Palmer, DDS River Bluff Dental”

What’s our take on the issue ?

What happened is really unfortunate. Dr. Walter could have been careful and done more research. This incident does brings the world’s attention to the conservation of wild life that is very necessary for the survival of earth. We don’t have much idea on the legalities in this matter as now its a question between USA and Zimbabwean authorities. But this whole incident had few outcomes –

The unfortunate killing of Cecil the lion.

The practice of Dr. Walter ( no doubt  a famous dentist ) is dented.

The world is now more aware and discussing the issue to conserve wild life more diligently.

But that cannot take away the fact that Dr. Walter is a good and skilful dentist who has been providing dental treatment in his area for years. So, its never right to permanently prosecute the person for some miscalculation that resulted in the hunting.

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