SOMETIMES you hear or read about things people have done and wonder what it was they were thinking.
Of course, in the case of the people or person who stole the pet lambs from Kai Iwi School, it is clear that they weren't thinking. Not about anyone other than themselves, that is. No consideration was given to the impact their actions would have on the children and the wider community.
Now, I'm not about to suggest that this is one of the crimes of the century. But there are aspects that suggest whoever was responsible has stooped to a low most of us could never contemplate. Clearly driven by the need to satisfy some need to have what is not theirs, the person or persons who rustled the lambs have considered only how they might benefit by taking the animals. And it's not like it was your usual crime of opportunity - the lambs were safely fenced off out of view from the roadside, which suggests someone knew they were there or went looking to see what they could find.
And that someone couldn't give a hoot about the feelings of the pupils at Kai Iwi who had fed and cared for their pets, all named and sponsored and many of which starred in the recent pet day, a highlight in the local school community calendar. And it's not just the kids, either. The lambs were all donated by farmers, the milk powder sponsored by businesses, and other care and support was provided by staff and parents within the school family.
Of course, there is little point in appealing to the thief's, or thieves', better judgment. If that existed it would be employed beforehand, not after the damage was done. I wonder how many of those kids have since had nightmares over the thought of someone taking the lambs, or over what might have become of them? In any case, those responsible are unlikely to be reading this anyway.
