14 DAY TRIAL // Green group PETA has probably gotten bored of protesting foie gras, the fur industry and the cruel practice of turning cows, pigs, chickens and whatnot into culinary delights. Hence its lashing out at RoboRoach, a kit that allows kids to turn run-off-the-mill bugs into robots and control their every movement with the help of an app.
The kit is manufactured and marketed by a company dubbed Backyard Brains and, as far as PETA is concerned, “textbook example of sadism” does not even begin to describe it.
“The company's RoboRoach kits instruct kids to ‘anesthetize’ a live cockroach by dousing him or her with ice water; sand the animal's thorax (yes, you read that right), use a needle to puncture it, and superglue an electrode connector to it; cut off most of the roach's antennae and superglue electrodes to the stubs; and use a hot glue gun to attach a battery pack to the roach's back, all so that kids can control the animal's movements via a smartphone app,” the organization explains.
Apparently, the electrodes are only functional for a few days, after which the bug can supposedly go back to life as usual. It goes without saying that it seldom happens that a bug is actually returned to its friends and family after being abused in this horrific manner.
PETA has filed a complaint with the Michigan attorney general and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs on account of the fact that turning bugs into robots in this way qualifies as practicing veterinary medicine, something that happens to be illegal unless one is authorized to do so.
The organization hopes that, sooner rather than later, authorities and high officials will see to it that Backyard Brains is no longer allowed to market such kits and even bugs, just in case kids have trouble finding one close to their home.
“Cockroaches also very social – they live together in closely bonded groups, can recognize individual members of their family, and make collective decisions that will benefit the entire cockroach clan,” PETA wishes to stress.
“Not only is RoboRoach harmful to roaches, it's potentially harmful to the cyborgs' handlers. It could desensitize them to the feelings of those who are weaker than they are. One might just as well call it a ‘bully starter kit,’” it adds.