Chris Cooley Burns a Dead Cow, Blogs About the Experience

In "news" sure to get someone's panties in a bunch, Chris Cooley posted an interesting, we'll say, entry on his personal blog recently. Apparently on his land in Wyoming, the Redskins tight end stumbled upon a cow carcass. Naturally, he and his cohorts set the already-deceased animal on fire to "get rid of it." Cooley has teased a video of the fire, but it's not yet posted. Update: He has decided to not post the video.

My first reaction to this was, "Oh great, now a bunch of people are going to be all up in arms about how disgusting this was." Frankly, I am surprised he posted it on the Internet, what with all the wackos around who will stir up controversy over just about anything nowadays. I guess he doesn't care if it does ignite controversy, so kudos to him for that.

For the record, Cooley did post a message he received on Facebook in his blog's comments section to explain a very reasonable stance:

As the Director for adoptions for a rescue, an animal rights activist, a Vet Tech and a member of the HSUS this is not an act of cruelty. It all rights burning the corpse of a dead farm animal is the right thing to do to stop the spread of disease.

As an animal lover yes it is hard to see it but it was the right thing to do to save the other animals around.

I hate that I feel this way, but it seems like someone is going to complain about this. I don't know who or why, but it's a gut feeling. I sincerely hope I'm wrong because this doesn't seem like anything to be worried about. In fact -- and I'll admit to being a "city boy" and knowing nothing about dead animal procedure -- it seems as though they did the proper thing.

My only other response would be that my second thought -- as a big-time steak-lover -- was the loss of all that great meat. What a shame.

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