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What’s Wrong with Animals in Circuses? Unfortunately the lives of millions of animals, many of them exotic, are threatened due to the entertainment industry. Although many of us can agree that we enjoy watching animals, is it worth the price of their misery? One of the larger contributors to cruelty is circuses. Although the animal may seem at ease jumping through rings of fire or riding a bicycle, the fact is that these notions are totally bazaar and unnatural to the animal performing them. In order to scare the animal into performing such tricks, trainers will use electric prods, whips, food deprivation, surgically removing or impairing teeth and claws or use bull-hooks (a tool used with a hook usually made of bronze or steal which strikes elephants in order to train the animal by fright). Elephant Sanctuary owner and former elephant trainer claims, “[U]sing punishment to instill a sense of fear is standard practice in the circus industry. The elephants are conditioned through physical pain and mental intimidation that they must obey commands. All elephants used in circuses are trained in this fashion.” These exotic animals are in most cases either bred into the circus or captured through the wild. Though many exotic animals in foreign countries are protected by sanctuaries and protection leagues, many are steal under threat of human greed. Ripped away from families, animals become defenseless with our weaponry only later to be forced into before unnatural acts for spectators. Unfortunately, life doesn’t get much better for these animals as many circuses are poorly funded and thus unable to provide adequate veterinary care. This veterinary care is crucial considering the travelling conditions which mold the animal physically and mentally. For example, According to a study by the Born Free Foundation, animals who are confined in crates or stalls for large periods of time (such often done by circuses during winter off seasons) where animals are sometimes even kept in trucks) elephants spend 22% of their time in abnormal actions, such as repeated head- bobbing or swaying, and confined bears spend about 30% of their time pacing. Even if these shows are aimed and promoted towards children and families, what message are we sending our children when we show them such behavior? When our children Education Office, Dublin SPCA, Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 Tel: 01 4994700 ext. 705/710 www.dspca.ie email: [email protected] or [email protected] What’s Wrong with Animals in Circuses? witness animals being prodded and beaten seeing animals deprived of their natural states, they are in danger of developing irregular social values. According to animal behaviorist, author, and anthropologist, Dr. Desmond Morris, "The idea that it is funny to see wild animals coerced into acting like clumsy humans, or thrilling to see powerful beasts reduced to cringing cowards by a whip cracking trainer is primitive and medieval. It stems from the old idea that we are superior to other species and have the right to hold dominion over them." Animals in circuses are forced to live uncomfortable, cruel lives for only the gain of our entertainment and the manager’s pocketbook. Thankfully, there are a number of circuses popping all over that refuse to use any animal acts. We ask that you support these circuses because seeing trained acrobats, clowns, and dancing is a lot more entertaining than a animal being humiliated with torture on stage. The following as circuses that do NOT use animals in their performances: Afrika! Afrika! Circus Hilarious Bassline Circus Circus of Horrors Big Kid Circus Circus Starr Billy Smart’s Circus Circus Oz Blackpool Tower Circus Circus Zapparelli Bulgarian State Circus Cirque Plume Chinese State Circus Cirque Surreal Cirque de Normandy Flying Fruit Fly Circus Cirque du Soleil Foolhardy Folk Circus Circus Ferrel Happy's Circus Education Office, Dublin SPCA, Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 Tel: 01 4994700 ext. 705/710 www.dspca.ie email: [email protected] or [email protected] What’s Wrong with Animals in Circuses? Jay Miller’s NoFit State Circus John Lawson’s Circus Santus Circus Moscow State Circus Swamp Circus No Fit State Circus Uncle Sam’s American Circus Education Office, Dublin SPCA, Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 Tel: 01 4994700 ext. 705/710 www.dspca.ie email: [email protected] or [email protected]