A woman and her husband have an inhumane way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. Merelize van der Merwe, 32, posed with a picture of a heart from a giraffe she had recently killed. The hunt was a gift from her husband, Gerhardt Nell, the Toronto Sun reported.

The Daily Mail reported that van der Merwe has been hunting for many years and has always wanted to kill a larger, older giraffe. She shared the news of the trip on Facebook, “My wonderful husband knew this was my dream and fully supported me from a romantic 5 star weekend away to roughing it again in the heat and bush. I was literally like a little child for 2 weeks and counted down the days. Afterwards I was flooded with emotions as I’ve been waiting years to have this opportunity!!”

She also posted about the heart and plans to use the giraffe’s skin as a rug. “Ever wondered how big a giraffe’s heart is? I’m absolutely over the moon with my BIG valentine’s present,” Van Der Merwe wrote on Facebook.

A 32 year old trophy hunter, Merelize Van Der Merwe shared picture of herself posing with a giraffe's heart after her husband paid Rs. 1.5 lakh for her to shoot the animal as a Valentines day gift. I'm so disturbed after watching the pictures! What is wrong with these people? pic.twitter.com/3CNjdQUGMH

— Aakash Ranison (@aakashranison) February 23, 2021

Elisa Allen, of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, told the Mirror, “Someone who kills another sentient being, cuts out their heart, and boasts about it fits the definition of a sociopath. One day, trophy hunting will be listed as a sign of a psychiatric disorder, as it should be today. It is grandiosity, serial killing, and bloodlust paired with a burning desire to show off.”

Source: Ban Trophy Hunting/YouTube

Sign this petition to ban trophy hunting in the United States.

Sign these other petitions to stand up against trophy hunting as well:

• • Ban Import of Wild Animals as Trophies in the U.S.
  • Protect African Lions from Trophy Hunters
  • Ban Trophy Hunting in the United States

Check out our resources about trophy hunting:

• Safari Club International Where Donald Trump Jr. Auctioned a Hunt is also Involved in Trading Body Parts of Endangered Animals
• Book Exposes Truth Behind Wildlife Conservation Where Leading Decision Makers are Trophy Hunters Fueling the Big Game Industry
• Donald Trump Jr.’s “Dream Hunt” Auction
• Undercover Footage of Nevada Trophy Hunting Convention Shows Promoting Trips to Shoot Lions
• Five reasons Trophy Hunting is not conservation
• What Actions You Can Take to Stop Trophy Hunting
• 10 Stories Highlighting the Horrors of the Trophy Hunting Industry
• Federal Government Rolling Back Wildlife Protections to Allow Trophy Hunting on Alaska’s National Preserves and Refuge

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