Conundrum

[ZenGum]

I found this news article and wanted to share it. It didn't seem to merit its own thread, and this is the best fit I could find, since it combines animal rights and bureaucracy gone completely bloody stupid.
Don't get me wrong - I have quite a bit of time for animal rights, but this is just silly.

Toilet home 'may have traumatised' compost worms

A New Zealand inventor has been forced to defend the use of worms in a composting toilet he has developed after officials became concerned that the creatures might become traumatised by the procedure.

Coll Bell was told to get an expert's report on the mental impact on the tiger worms being used after an official became concerned during a site visit.

He says the official felt that the worms were being unfairly treated, being expected to deal with human faeces, and that it could affect them in a psychological way.

Mr Bell was told he had to get someone with the necessary qualifications to say the worms were happy.

A vermiculture consultant was called in and she has found the worms are in excellent health and breeding happily.

- AFP

How the hell are you supposed to tell if worms are happy or not? Traumatised? Content? Mildly bored? Ecstatic? I can barely tell the head from the arse, and that's only when they move.

[Perry Winkle]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

How the hell are you supposed to tell if worms are happy or not? Traumatised? Content? Mildly bored? Ecstatic? I can barely tell the head from the arse, and that's only when they move.

I don't think worms have the capacity to be any of the above. I believe the fact that the worms have a life at all is probably the highest fulfillment of wormhood possible.