Animal Cruelty in Entertainment Millions and millions of people visit zoos, aquariums, and circuses each year because they love animals or they feel as if the public entertainment facilities are educational (Entertainment). What they do not know is that the facilities are designed to appeal to the visitors’ needs and desires instead of the animals. Animals are not spectacles to gawk at and hold hostage in horrid environments, yet they are still extracted from the wild, separated from their families, kept in filthy steel cages, and forced to perform confusing and unreasonable tricks that even humans cannot master. Every year, thousands and thousands of animals die from having severely emaciated bodies or are killed from the lack of space. …show more content…
The most common way of injury is abuse. The handlers in the circuses go through many painful methods of abusing the animals to train them to do many unnatural tricks, such as standing on balls and jumping over rings of fire (Entertainment). As a result, lions suffer through joint problems, horses suffer with hoof problems, and all the animals have injuries from chains and the beatings of the abusive workers, which has led to severe infections. This shows that training animals for entertainment causes severe damage to the animals, which is brutal and inhumane to the animals and should be stopped. Probably one of the top worst circuses is the Ringling Bros. Thousands and thousands of people visit the circus every year and find it extremely entertaining, but what they do not know is that the elephants go through much suffering to learn the confusing tricks. The Ringling Bros. would “routinely shock elephants with electric prods and gouges and beat them with bull hooks until they screamed” (Miles qtd. in PETA). This is intolerable and very cruel to the animals. Not only are there physical injuries on the animals, but the animals go through a lot of stress, being forced to perform something they would not normally do in the wild. The picture of what the Ringling Bros do gives a vivid image how much the animals have to suffer. Although abuse is the most common way …show more content…
The elephants the zoos used “[are] extracted at great expense and through staggering logistics from their herds inside game reserves in Swaziland” (French 1). It is very overwhelming for the elephants to be taken from the wild, away from their natural environment, because they have to adapt to a completely new habitat. It has also been shown, that many times, too many elephants are extracted from their natural environments and the zoos do not have enough space (2). To solve this problem, some of the elephants have to be killed or sent to a new place. This is inhumane and outrageous to take the life of an innocent animal being. This shows that zoos must be stop because they are doing immoral things to the animals and making them suffer for the zoo keepers’ ridiculous and cruel mistakes. Animals in public entertainment facilities are also deprived of the opportunities to fulfill the full range of their interests and needs that can be offered in the wild (Entertainment). The only time the circus animals are let out of their cages or boxes are when they are forced to perform demeaning tricks (Miles). This shows how the animals clearly do not have freedom and the circus handlers are destroying the life of the animals and preventing them from doing what they would normally do in the wild. In many aquariums as well, the sea animals
Robert Gonzales, from Bakersfield, seemed like an average, ordinary man. One night however, he was accused of splashing beach on a small dog, and wrapping the dog’s mouth with duct tape. His goal was to discipline the dog. Gonzales was caught and arrested for abusing the animal. Animal abuse is an occurring problem in the U.S. But can be prevented if we take action.
“Animal Entertainment” refers to any animals used to act, perform, or fight for the enjoyment of humans. zoos, circuses, and bullfighting are all examples of animals used for entertainment. While many applaud these firms for putting on a spectacular show, many others argue that the animals are treated unfair. All of these animals are taken out of their natural environment and forced to perform acts not typically in their behavioral range. If one pays close attention at the circus, for example, it is visible how these animals are treated. Trainers threaten tigers with a whip and often hit elephants with metal on their legs. These techniques are inhumane and best explain why animals should not be used for entertainment. The use of animals for entertainment is a form of animal abuse because of the way the
For as long as we’ve known, animals have been exploited for human amusement in cases such a rodeos, circuses and Seaworld’s use of orcas. It may seem like we are on the brink of a change in the right direction regarding the use/abuse of animals in entertainment: elephant bullhook ban in Los Angela taking effect in the beginning of 2017, and restricting the use of orcas in shows at SeaWorld during 2016. Could it be possible that rodeos, with their inherent cruelty, be far behind? Unfortunately, some of the participating animals suffer through loss of life from contestant physical punishment and demand. Examples such as: A Laramie County Community College rodeo coach was charged with cruelty to animals after four rodeo
In the film, Madagascar, zoos are depicted as a sanctuary in which all the exotic animals are kept safe and are open for the public to view. But many would argue that zoos are inhumane, the caging of animals for our personal entertainment is unjustifiable. Those who believe that zoos are wrong and should be destroyed are animal rights activist; they believe that animals should be allowed to choose their own destiny. Those that believe that zoos are an important part of our lives are scientist and zoologist. This debate has gone on for generations and average folk are stuck in the middle, not knowing which side to stand on. The animals being kept in captivity could not be interviewed; their side of the story will be based on interpretation on their movement and interaction with animals in the zoo and in the wild. Are animals better suited to live in the harsh conditions of the wild or are they better suited to live their lives safely in captivity?
The life of a circus animal is hard and demanding. It is not an acceptable way of life for an animal. Circuses would quickly lose their appeal if the public were more aware of their mistreatments of these animals. Many circuses do not have much money and as a result the animals suffer from inadequate care. These animals spend most of their time in small cages used for transportation. The Animal Welfare Act provides cage requirements, but many circuses fail to follow this law. Even the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey circus was cited for 65 violations over a two-year period according to Florence Lambert. When traveling, animals spend hours, even days between sites in confinement..
The article “Animals Used as Entertainment” lists rodeos, circuses, bullfighting, horse racing, cockfighting, dog fighting, and zoos as examples of the many ways animals are used in entertainment. Circuses and zoos are the two most relevant forms of animal mistreatment. Both of these are sources of entertainment for children and adults. Zoos declare that the...
This essay proposes to investigate the ethics of training, and subsequently utilising, circus animals for the purpose of human entertainment. Therefore, the essay will respond to the question “what moral or ethical obligations do humans have in respect of other animals? How can these obligations be filled?” It should be noted that a distinction is made between morals, which are personal standards of behaviour – and ethics – which are moral principles that govern societal behaviour. This essay will focus on ethical obligations. Specifically, the treatment and training methods of circus animals will be researched to ascertain what, if any, physical or psychological discomfort results for the animals. More precisely, investigations will be undertaken to gauge circus animals’ quality of life, and thus arguments that circus animals both enjoy and loathe this treatment will be explored. Additionally, specific cases of cruelty to circus animals, together with various legislation that either allows or prohibits such behaviours, will be examined.
The number of African and Asian elephants in North American zoos is declining as a result of many medical issues. A new disease has recently been discovered that is now hindering elephant’s ability to survive even further. This is a major problem because according to Science Magazine, as of 1997, there are only an estimated 291 Asian elephants and 193 African elephants left in North American zoos. Since this survey was conducted, this number has severely declined. It is now estimated that for every elephant that is born in a zoo another three die.
Smith, RaeLeann. "Circus Animals: Abused and Dangerous." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Nov. 2007. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Zoos, circuses, and aquariums have been around for many years. Families across the planet flock to these facilities to have an entertaining day in the great outdoors. Mothers and father show their children the beautiful, exotic animals at these places in a hope to educate them on the wonders of the world. The general public holds places like the San Diego Zoo, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and SeaWorld in high esteem. Sadly, most are unaware of the injustices against wild animals in these facilities. Animal rights activists fight for the rights of exotic animals in an attempt to free them from zoos, circuses and aquariums. Organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) publicly protest these facilities. PETA says on their website that animals thrust into the world of entertainment never chose that life. Zoos, circuses, and aquariums are cruel and unjust facilities for animals to be in, and they should be disbanded.
The Ringling circus is good at diverting peoples concern for the treatment of the circus elephants, but the true facts are easy to find. Videos on PEETA or any other video sites show the abuse the elephants face most days. The trainers act rude and not as gentle as they appear in public with the animals. Even if animal rights organizations did not have issues with the elephants treatment, their living environments are still not acceptable. These huge elephants, especially the Asian elephants, live in chains and small spaces every day.
Animals should not be held captive in zoos because it is inhumane and unfair to the animals. There are so many records of terrible things that have happened to animals in zoos over the past few centuries, the go under the radar too often. Too few people even know about these animal care atrocities, and therefore the New York Times decided to bring light upon this situation. The Times did a first-of-its-kind analysis of 390 elephant fatalities at accredited U.S. zoos over the past 50 years (Berens 3). It found that most of the elephants died from injury or disease linked to conditions of their captivity, from chronic foot problems caused by standing on hard surfaces to musculoskeletal disorders from inactivity caused by being penned or chained for days and weeks at a time.
Some aspects of Animal abuse are completely avoidable, the cruelty brings no scientific knowledge, food, or testing. In the entertainment industry “wild and exotic animals are trained through the use of intimidation and physical abuse. Former circus employees have reported seeing animals beaten, whipped, poked with sharp objects and even burned to force them to learn their routines!”(dosomething) Cruelty for entertainment is not a fair trade by any means.
Today, witnessing a herd of elephants is becoming increasingly uncommon, as more and more elephants die prematurely every year. Jessica Hatcher, writer for The Guardian News, reported that “There are between 410,...
They are pressured into completing harmful acts, as well as maneuvering their bodies in ways that are anomalous. Acts such as these tend to cause distress in the circus animals. Instead of supporting circuses that use animals in their shows, people should support animal-free circuses. Animal-free circuses feature spectacular shows without harming any animals.