AMSTERDAM (Reuters)
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
apologized for forcing over 400 imported
ground
squirrels to their deaths in a shredder at Amsterdam's Schipol
airport.
A KLM spokeswoman said the airline's cargo unit had thrown
most of the consignment of 440 squirrels, which were
bound for Athens from Beijing, into a type of shredder commonly
used by the poultry industry to kill birds.
The animals were killed under orders from the Dutch
agriculture ministry because they lacked the proper import and
health papers, KLM said earlier this week amid a public outcry
over the
slaughter.
``Though on formal grounds the action taken was correct, KLM
admits to having made a grave mistake on ethical
grounds,'' the airline said in a statement.
``The company fully endorses the criticism expressed by the
general public and various organizations in the
Netherlands.''
The employee directly responsible for the killings had been
suspended, KLM said. He was right to obey the ministry's
order but had ``made an incorrect assessment of the solution.''
About 20 squirrels had
escaped while they were being moved to
suitable cages and were on the run, KLM said.
I smell like a hippy in this outfit......
