Controversy Erupts Over Scottish Travel Agency’s Reindeer Hunting Trips for Christmas

Owner Sentenced After Giving Pet Dog Fentanyl and Killing It

Jonathan Paluzzi of Massachusetts and owner of a bull-terrier mix named Brutus wanted to gift his dog to his parents before entering rehab, but his parents could not care for the animal. Therefore, Paluzzi began looking into options to euthanize the dog but was denied by veterinarians due to Brutus’s good health. So Paluzzi took matters into his own hands, first dosing Brutus with fentanyl, hoping the drug would kill the animal. When that didn’t work, Paluzzi, who had taken fentanyl himself, stabbed the dog to death. Paluzzi was sentenced to five to seven years in prison for animal cruelty and witness intimidation.

Robotic Pets to be Unveiled at AI and Robotics Convention

Robotic pets, such as the metaCat AI, will be unveiled at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Elephant Robotics, a robotics design company, will showcase a variety of robotic feats, including a humanoid robot assistant and robotic pets. The company aims to introduce AI and robotics to everyday life, simplifying daily routines for humans.

Pets to be unveiled at the convention include metaCat AI, metaDog AI, and metaPanda AI. These three options can provide companionship for humans and imitate the behavior, appearance, and sounds of pets. Elephant Robotics describes their robot pets as “life-like,” citing their capacity for emotional connectivity with humans. Some are skeptical of whether robotic pets can live up to the real deal, while others see the innovation as a new opportunity for connection, companionship, and therapeutic healing. What are your thoughts? Robot or real deal?

Travel Agency Offers Hunting Trips to Shoot Reindeer to Celebrate Christmas

Hendry, Ramsay & Waters, a travel firm in Scotland, is sponsoring Christmas hunting trips to shoot reindeer in Norway. The news of these trips outraged many, including animal rights activists who spoke out against trophy hunting. Trophy-hunting travel firms in the UK are not rare. In fact, many offer the opportunity to hunt lions and elephants abroad. However, Hendry, Ramsay & Waters is coming under fire from the public for providing reindeer hunting excursions close to Christmas.

After an eight-year prohibition, Norway legalized trophy hunting, and hunters are taking advantage of the open land in Norway’s national parks. Some people have petitioned for the UK to ban the import of trophies to decrease trophy hunting in nearby European countries. The Ban Trophy Hunting campaign has also spoken out against Hendry, Ramsay & Waters, citing that 90% of voters in the UK want to ban trophy imports. Learn more about the ethical controversy surrounding trophy hunting here.