Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Indiahoma, OK

I took this picture in Indiahoma, OK, while visiting the Wichita mountains wildlife refuge. The beautiful exhibit at the visitors center in the park features this sculpture along with several stuffed animals.

I sometimes wonder how the animal would have felt when it got killed and if its soul was hovering around when the taxidermist was preparing its pelt/ skin for stuffing. What would its thoughts be as it observes the latex glove-clad hands ripping out the visceral parts of its body? Washing the remaining skin with chemicals to retain softness and at the same time making it sterile so no bacteria can survive and destroy the skin.

Even thinking about it makes me sick. I wonder what people think when they mercilessly slaughter animals just because they want to eat their meat.