Last week, California resident Nicholas Verity launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to raise funds for shot glasses that honor Cincinnati Zoo gorilla, Harambe. Earlier this summer, the 440-pound gorilla was shot and killed by the Zoo’s staff after a child entered the Gorilla Enclosure and Harambe dragged the 3-year-old around the exhibit. The death of the gorilla caused a major uproar about how the Zoo and its team handled the situation.
Verity wrote on the campaign’s website:
“Gorilla or human, all lives matter. If a Kickstarter could have saved Harambe’s life, we would have exceeded that goal with more dollars than the Clinton and Trump’s campaigns combined. But, we can’t. Because on May 28th 2016, Harambe was shot. Harambe took a shot for you. Now we must take a shot for him. It’s what he would have wanted. We have designed these commemorative shot glasses in his honor and currently have a manufacturer established and ready to begin production. We need this funding to continue to fuel the community around Harambe and justice for animals. We understand that this project cannot eliminate animal injustice, but it’s a shot in the right direction.”
The shot glasses are currently available starting at $12, and they will be delivered in October 2016 for U.S. residents (the shot glasses will also be available for shipping to Canada, UK, and Australia). All family packs include four shot glasses, and they have the saying, “Take a Shot For Harambe. He Took One For You” on them. The initiative has received mainly positive outcome, with one Kickstarter user stating:
“R.I.P harambe. I’ll take a shot for you as soon as I get this wonderful commemoration to your life.”
Another user responded a bit differently:
“Harambe crud was old the second day. jump off the band bandwagon already. Internets get dumber every hour.”
Originally looking to raise only $1,500, the campaign has successfully secured nearly $40,000 thanks to more than 2,000 backers. It is set to close in two weeks (September 16th).
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