The Reality of Circuses
Animals are not ours for entertainment. Animals do not naturally stand on their heads, balance on balls, jump through rings of fire, or ride bicycles. To get them to perform these confusing and physically uncomfortable acts, trainers use whips, tight collars, electric prods, muzzles, bullhooks, and other pain-inflicting tools. Circuses easily get away with routine acts of cruelty because no government agencies monitor training sessions.
Circus animals spend almost their entire lives in confinement- elephants are shackled almost their whole life. One study of traveling circuses observed an elephant who was in chains 96 percent of the time. Tigers and lions usually live and travel in cages 4 feet high by 7 feet long by 7 feet wide, with two big cats crammed into a single cage. Big cats, primates, and bears are forced to eat, drink, sleep, defecate, and urinate in the same tiny cages.
Elephants are some of the most abused circus animals. To see just some of the cruelty involved in the training of the large animals, click here.
For other information regarding circuses and ways you can help, click here. One thing you can do to not support the cruelty is to choose to only go to animal-free circuses.
Although I haven’t been to a circus in about 30 years, I never thought of this, very good point. I’ll sent this blog to my daughter who is also vegan. I eat meat from grass-fed animals, same with the milk and other dairy, it’s totally different than factory-farmed. This is a viable alternative for those who can’t seem to manage without animal products. Yes. I agree meat is gross, I’d MUCH prefer to not eat it, but I have only half my intestines, can’t eat much fiber, hungry all the time and meat and raw milk are some of the few foods that actually nourish me. Most food just speeds through me without being absorbed, even with medicine to slow the peristaltic action of my intestines.
You have a really excellent blog with lots of great information.
I would not do soy though, especially refined soy, causes many problems.
The Skinny Bitch book sounds excellent, I think the title will draw attention and is a good thing overall.
Thank you Rebecca for the wonderful response. That’s great that you choose to eat only a smarter, healthier choice of animal products. And I congratulate your daughter on being vegan.
I’m glad to see a post about abuse in the circus. I have participated in circus protests before to simply help get the word out. I don’t understand why people can’t see that it’s horrific for the animals. They seem to only care about their kids being happy for a couple of hours.
All of the animals have it bad, but my focus has been with the elephants. What they go through is inexcusable.
I hope through the efforts of many that someday there simply won’t be the demand for the circus……and they will just go away. If there is no demand, they won’t exist.
Thank you for the comment. The abuse of animals in circuses is horrific. I agree- more people need to be made aware of the cruelty that the animals endure.