What a ridiculous post.

The discussion in the newsroom must have gone something like this: "How can we generate high traffic and a guaranteed flame war in the comments on a dead Saturday?" "Oh, I know. Let's pose an inflammatory question based on an unsubstantiated assertion." "And let's make it at the expense of animals." "Just be sure to put it in one of the more active, volatile blogs." "Great idea!"

Then once the comments erupt into nastiness, there will be a follow-up post or comment about the awfulness of the community's commentary and how uncivil the posters are. There will be much hand-wringing and eventual censoring.

I think not liking animals very much is a hiring criteria at the TU. Otherwise why would the alleged discussion have taken place at all? If the story was the subject, wouldn't you instead be talking about how cute the puppies are, how terrible puppy mills and disreputable breeders are, or how important it is to neuter and spay pets?