Circus's are thought to be places where children can enjoy a spectacular show full of clowns, acrobats, and most of all, exotic animals. Even though circus's are meant to entertain the public, but behind the scenes is a different story. Circus's travel miles and miles between shows, confining animals in cages for each destination. Circus animals spend the majority of the day confined, about 1–9% of the day performing/training and the remaining time in exercise pens (2009). Wild animals are not meant to be domesticated and then trained to perform in shows because it is not natural for them. Inadequate diet and housing conditions, and the effects of repeated performances, can lead to significant health problems – circus animals travel frequently and the associated forced movement, human handling, noise, trailer movement and confinement are important stressors (2009).
The biggest and most fascinating animal in a circus are the elephants. Circus animals, especially elephants, may be kept chained (shackled individually or picketed in lines) continuously for 12–23 hours per day when not performing (2009). The utensils that trainers use to train wild elephants include whips, sticks, and bullhooks. There are instances where grown elephants are taken from the wild and “broken;” this is done by restraining the elephant with short chains to a small area as someone repeatedly beats the animal with a bullhook (2011). A bullhook is a wooden or metal stick that has a sharp steel hook and poker at one end. Trainers hit elephants either on the legs, ears, or trunk with a bullhook to train and control them. Every hit of the bullhook into an elephants skin is a painful blow.
The tricks that elephants are made to perform are not natural actions of wild elephants. They are not accustomed to naturally doing headstands, crawling, or twirling as they are required to do in the circus. Even though people come from far and wide to go to a circus to have fun and be entertained, it is not at all fun for the animals who were taken from their homelands and forced to entertain a crowd. These wild animals do not have a voice to say whether or not that they want to participate in a circus. It is up to people who want to save these tortured animals and to eliminate the animal aspect in a circus, otherwise, elephants and other wild animals alike will continue to be forced to perform for an audience's own entertainment.
References:
Animals in the circus: a lifetime of misery. (2003-2011). Born Free USA. Retrieved from: http://www.bornfreeusa.org/a1a_circus.php
Circus animal cruelty. (2011) Circus animal cruelty New edition. Retrieved from: www.circusanimalcruelty.com
Iossa, G., Soulsbury, CD and Harris,S. (2009) Are wild animals suited to a travelling circus life? Animal Welfare 18: 129-140. Retrieved from: http://www.savezooelephants.com/pdf/WILD%20ANIMALS%20IN%20CIRCUS.pdf
YouTube Video: Ringling beat animals: a PETA undercover investigation. Retrieved from:
YouTube Video: Ringling beat animals: a PETA undercover investigation. Retrieved from:
I think the treatment of these animals is very sad. I wonder why circuses are not held to the same standards as regular people? If someone did that to a dog, the authorities would be called. It seems like because these animals are so much more dangerous the standards for housing them would be more strict. Once the elephant realizes it is bigger and stronger he wont take that abuse anymore. Thats why we hear of attacks. Once the elephant attacks they cant be used anymore, because they know they dont have to listen.
ReplyDeleteThe treatment to these animals is very disturbing to me. I can not believe a person could do that to another creature. The way they "break" the elephants is so sad. Just let the elephants go free. I really don't know why people go to circuses they are stupid and scary I hate clowns. Any way I can not believe they actually take elephants out of the wild and train them to do tricks what a waste of a magnificent creature. Trainers should loose their jobs keeping an animal locked up for 12 to 30 hours that is just plain sick. These people need help! I will never go to a circus again knowing this knowledge. I never really liked them any way but as of now I hate them. I hope there is an organization that helps these poor elephants if so please let me know I want to help!
ReplyDeleteCaptain Justice - It is very sad that this is happening to these animals. I do not think that the majority of people know that they treat circus animals this way because it is hardly ever seen by the public. I just wish that circus animals, especially elephants, should not be used in events such as the circus.
ReplyDeletejimm84 - After I researched about this, I was also appalled at the actions of trainers with their animals. I've been to a couple circus's in my life, and I have enjoyed the entertainment, minus the clowns (I absolutely hate clowns), but I never knew about the cruelty to animals. Overall, I also do not ever want to go to a circus again to support people that engage in animal cruelty. As for an organization, I know that PETA has interest in stopping circus's, but I do not know any other specific anti-circus group.