Animal Abuse In Zoos Essay

Imagine being locked in a cage and stared at your whole life. For zoo animals, that’s what life is like. Everybody has fond memories of visiting the zoo as a child, however, what many of us don’t know is that a zoo is one of the most harmful and abusive places for an animal to live. In this essay I will tell you about the large history of animal abuse in zoos, how to solve this problem, and why you should care. Zoos are inherently cruel to animals and this needs to change.

Unfortunately, there is a large history of animal abuse in zoos. The animals are abused physically, they have limited space in their cages, and often, animals in zoos are drugged so that they act a certain way. An example of physical abuse in zoos is the story of Anne the elephant with arthritis.

She would be chained up for hours at a time and beaten on her arthritic leg. Secondly, it has been scientifically proven that most zoos are the wrong size and temperature for some species. Studies have shown that keeping an animal in a captivity of inadequate size can have negative effects on behaviour and health. In a zoo you will often see animals repeating the same mundane actions for hours at a time. These types of behaviours are results of the boredom, stress, depression and psychosis caused by the unfit cages. Another way zoo animals are abused is by the medication they are given. Animals are often sedated and given anti-depressants to stop the concerning behaviours listed above. Zoos also give animals certain drugs to make them less aggressive. These animals live horrible and boring lives, catering only towards the entertainment of humans.
There are many reasons as to why animal abuse in zoos should stop. The first reason it should stop is due to the fact it is ruining ecosystems. By taking animals from their natural habitats, we are depriving the other species of food and shelter. An ecosystem is like a machine, it needs all pieces to work effectively. If we remove one part of the machine, it stops working. Instead of observing animals in zoos we should observe them in their natural habitat. Seeing an elephant in Africa would be so much cooler than seeing an animal in Vancouver anyway. If you don’t have enough money to travel across the world just to see an animal, then there are plenty of documentaries and videos online that you can watch. These two alternative options might not be as convenient as a zoo, but the health and wellbeing of animals and ecosystems is more important than your weekend entertainment.
Finally, I will tell you why you should care about animal abuse in zoos.

we should care because if we have ever paid to go to the zoo, there is a high chance that in doing so, our money has gone towards the abuse of helpless animals. I’m sure that supporting animal abuse is not our intention, we simply want to enjoy a harmless day at the zoo, but unfortunately, that is not possible. Humans as a species owe freedom to other species. We have already taken enough from other species, we should at least let them keep their freedom. “I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.” (Abraham Lincoln). Basically, if we want to live admirable lives and be whole human beings, we must value human and animal rights. Animals have a right to freedom, just as people do. We wouldn’t drug and lock up humans, so why are we doing this to animals?

In conclusion, zoos are inherently cruel to animals and this needs to be changed. Sadly, there is a large history of animal abuse in zoos, and, innumeral reasons as to why it should stop. I talked about the history, why it should stop, and last but not least, why you should care. So, next time you consider visiting a zoo, think

twice.