Why I Boycott Circuses
I do not support circuses that use animals for entertainment. No, it is not because I am deathly afraid of clowns (although I am). No, the reason is not because I do not find that much amusement in some of the things throughout the performances. The misuse, neglect, and abuse that the animals involved in circuses endure is what forced me to boycott circuses two years ago and still to this very day. On the other hand, my wording may be slightly off-putting--let's say that I boycott animal circuses. Animal-free circuses are the only ones that I will bother to attend, although those I am not too fond of either.
Circuses have been around for a lot of years. When thinking of circuses, the first two things that pop into my head are the horrifying clowns {okay, that's just my thought} silly clowns and the funny, obedient animals. The thought that does not pop up in the usual person's head is the secret that animal circuses do not share with their audience: how the trainers and owners of the circus get the animals to cooperate. But for some ridiculous reason, that is the exact thought that I had maybe two/three years ago.
Once that question was implemented in my mind, common sense came a knockin'. The common knowledge that no wildlife animal is going to willingly stand on beach balls and do all of the silly little tricks that they seem to know suddenly made me seriously question how the heck those trainers got them to cooperate! Nobody is that good. Well, like my usual curious self, I started to research until I got my answer. Sadly, that answer was not what I was expecting, and it really made me upset. Furthermore, it also helped me to swear off animal circuses for the rest of my life. I've signed petitions, and I have even spoken to my family and friends about why they should swear off animal circuses, too. It was only a few days ago did I realize that I should tell you guys what I've learned as well and why you should boycott animal circuses, too. {Remember, there are still Animal-FREE Circuses that you can attend.}
The trainers abuse the animals.
This is all there is to it. This is the hook, line, and sinker (no pun intended after you read the following sentences). The trainers (or as they should be called, abusers) use instruments such as the bull hook--a heavy, sharp item used to poke, hit, and pierce--and whips to control animals such as elephants. Bears, large cats, and chimpanzees are hit with long poles, kicked, and dragged. All of these methods insert fear into the animals. Essentially, not cooperating = abuse in the minds of the poor wildlife. Ponder that, would you. If your only option is to cooperate or get abused, what would you do? Even in regard to that, the abusers still use animal cruelty when the animals finally do cooperate. But just imagine how much torture would have to be implemented before a large animal such as an elephant and bear would give in--a lot.
According to '15 Reasons to Boycott the Circus', veterinarians are usually not even available on site, and the local ones are not used to the needs of such wildlife animals. This leaves the animals uncared for and neglected, usually dehydrated, and in harms way. On the other hand, there is an Animal Welfare Act that "regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers." {To learn more about it, please visit this site.} The circuses, however, pretty much laugh this act off and still violate it. The reprimand they are given? A minimal fine. If they continue to only get this punishment for violating the AWA, then animal circuses will continue, keeping the abuse in the training. The only way to stop the abuse is to STOP enabling animal circuses. By boycotting the shows, we can help disable the circuses by not giving them a reason to abuse the animals--which they do for our "entertainment"-- and they will hopefully stop all together (unless they are unrealistically sadistic).
The animals are kept in horrible confinement.
In the aforementioned paragraph, I mentioned the poor veterinary care the animals receive as well as their limited food and water. Expanding on that, the animals are kept in cramped conditions as they travel a lot (Hello! It is a circus after all.), no matter what the weather conditions are. The trainers and circus owners do not take care of these animals. The do their business and eat in the same darn place, for gosh sakes! If that is not unsanitary and dangerous, then I do not know what is.
In July of 2004, a young lion died in a boxcar as the Ringling Circus crossed the Mojave Desert. The boxcar was horribly ventilated, and the temps reached 100 degrees, at the very least! With the same circus, two overheated tigers attempted to escape their boxcar (yes, one!) after being locked away for a very long time with poor air. They injured themselves.
Once the animals snap, they snap.
Little can be done to protect oneself once a fed up animal has had his/her breaking point. When this happens, the animal has to be killed. Additionally, this is not right simply because the animal is lashing out of terror. They are abused so much that one day, they just....snap. This is very dangerous to the attendees of the circus and very much so to the trainers. Without their training "equipment", the abusers can do very little to protect themselves from a elephant or tiger on a rampage.
Links To Consider:
- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (Click the meet the elephants page! It is very heart-wrenching.)
- Also, click this link to send a pre-written message to the Senator to help get the elephants out of the circus.
- Here is a site that allows you to check out the circuses with numerous citations, etc.
- A story about an elephant forced into circus life and was brutally murdered--her name was Tyke.
For a list of animal-free circuses,
check it out here
Tune: Fill A Heart (Child Hunger Ends Here) by Tori Kelly
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