Palin 'snuff film' outrages animal rights advocates

US Republican darling Sarah Palin is under fire for apparently clubbing a fish to death, then holding its still-beating heart in her hands for television cameras in what a US animal rights group calls a "snuff video". Palin and her daughter Bristol were featured on a halibut fishing excursion for the ex-vice-presidential nominee's new reality TV show Sarah Palin's Alaska, which has premiered to record ratings in the US. Halibut clubbing is standard practice among anglers, but Palin's apparent relish in the animal's suffering has outraged animal rights advocates In Defence of Animals. The group claims the scene is "a snuff video" and says her lack of compassion is disgusting, particularly her lack of remorse. However, the Alaska Charter Association - a recreational halibut fishing group - claims the clubbing technique is "humane", as it aims to "minimise the suffering of the fish". During the episode, Palin explains why clubbing halibut to death is necessary saying: "stunning the halibut may seem a bit harsh to some but it's the safest and most humane way to harvest these massive fish."...more