A recent report documented over 36,000 cases of pinata related violence against animals in 2005 that were reported to animal shelters, vets, and animal welfare groups. Most incidents resulted in broken bones, maimed or damaged eyes and ears, and long term socialization problems. Over 14%, however, resulted in death.
Some other interesting statistics in the report:
Average age of animal beater: 11
Most commonly beaten animal: Cat
Second most commonly beaten animal: Tropical Birds
Most beatings took place within 48 of the perpetrators’ exposure to a pinata.
source: Orange County Humane Society report to city council on causes of animal abuse, Feb 2006
omg!! r u 4 reals..just because ppl played with pinatas doesnt mean they r going 2 repeat the incident thats why u have to well educate kid not to do it if u dont they will think its okay to do so..its the parents responsibility..the whole gang bangers thing is not that real i live in the ghetto and ppl dont even do dat mayb only da lowlifes..and da mexican offense…ALL PEOPLE ARE THE SAME!! as we have violent white games we also have dangerous black, jewish and all races have something bad..we are not perfect and just because 1 person doesnt mean everyone follows
I agree that all people are the same – but all cultures are not the same.
If there is a problem you have with violence and the misuse of pinata etiquette I recommend that instead of making a tirade against a cultural icon and a symbol of heritage – you should probably promote good parenting.
If I follow your logic, you’re one step away from downwithpapermache.com.
As a psychology student I can see that there is a hint of ‘learning’ involved with beating up a pinata shaped like an animal. However there are just WAY too many other factors.
For starters – the shocking realization that most pinatas are not at all life-like, suspended usually about 5 foot in the air by string, and about 45 different colors of tapered paper lengths.
This website is the most ridiculous things I’ve found online in quite some time, so I took pleasure in leaving this comment, hoping you’ve come to the realization that you, like most people, are going about solving a problem ass-backwards.
Piinatas promote violence against flamboyant animals, and we are protesting that.
check us out at myspace.com/pinataprotest
More importantly, did you know that over 98% of convicted criminals have eaten bread? 98%!
And 90% of criminals admitted to eating bread within 24 hours before committing a crime?
While I agree that your crusade is noble, I can’t help but feel that your strong-willed devotion is required in the greater anti-bakery revolt.
I went through a harrowing time, my son was a hardened bread addict. However, after taking bread away from him and giving him only pure, healthy water, his went entirely mad, shouting at me for “not understanding how statistics worked”, “starving [him] to death” and “attributing mundane activities to causes for violence”.
Such madness really shook me to the core. Please, please help our cause.
Get involved at http://user.pa.net/~nrwing/whataguy/banbread/
Very droll.
I think you meant “within 48 HOURS of exposure…”
you just said “within 48 of…”
nice site though?
You should give more direct references. all these figures sound made up!
It must have been terrifying to be woken up in such a way by your little girl. I don’t think this reflects on your parenting – these things happen. You can’t entirely blame pinatas either. We’ve run many a public event with pinatas. There has never been an incident of violence afterwards. We use it as a means of educating the children about when violence is and is not apropriate. You wouldn’t be impressed if a baseball player didn’t want to hit the bat! Its also a good cathartic means of relieving frustration and working off a little excess energy.
The statistics you’re using a misleading. These children will have also watched a lot of cartton violence, probably seen older children doing the same thing, are already prone to violence etc.