When the circus comes to town, children of all ages get a certain sense of wonder regarding the spectacles they might be able to see. There are clowns in tiny cars, jugglers who play with fire, and of course the acrobats who fly through the air with the greatest of ease. And then there are the circus animals. Lions, tigers and bears are trained to entertain. However, many of these beasts live in pain and misery and spend their lives cruelly mistreated, and have no voice with which to complain.
The majority of their lives are spent en route. During travel, they are kept in cages under chains in spaces that are way too small. They cannot move around, violating their natural instincts. The elephant is known for wandering through the wild, covering as many as 25 miles a day. The big cats are extreme nomads as well. At circuses, however, these majestic beasts are not allowed to move much at all.
Trainers say there are two main methods of animal training: the carrot and the stick. The carrot features a system of rewards for behaving well, but at circuses, they use the stick. These beasts get taught by pain to do their tricks and behave themselves.
Lions and tigers fear flames, and many get burned from the flaming hoops during training and in performances. If they decide not to do as they are told, then they could be whipped or shocked with cattle prods.
Elephants are trained with an ankus. This is a stick with a sharp hook on the end. An elephant's skin might be thick, but it's sensitive, and an elephant trainer always has an ankus close at hand. The device is used to strike sensitive areas like the ears, chin and face. Many of these big mammals can be seen swaying from side to side, a clear sign of depression in these intelligent beasts.
Food and water can even be withheld before parades to keep an animal from going to the bathroom en route. All of these cruel abuses can add up to a public safety hazard. An angry animal is dangerous, and occasionally one of them will rebel against its handlers and break loose, rampaging through the crowds and through the streets if it gets far enough.
The shocking abuse of circus animals might be unconscionable, but it's curiously tolerated. Everyone has favorite childhood memories of the circuses they attended, so it might be understandable if parents want their children to have those same memories. Unfortunately, these good times come with a high price, and the creatures of the circuses are the beasts who wind up paying it.
circus animals
The majority of their lives are spent en route. During travel, they are kept in cages under chains in spaces that are way too small. They cannot move around, violating their natural instincts. The elephant is known for wandering through the wild, covering as many as 25 miles a day. The big cats are extreme nomads as well. At circuses, however, these majestic beasts are not allowed to move much at all.
Trainers say there are two main methods of animal training: the carrot and the stick. The carrot features a system of rewards for behaving well, but at circuses, they use the stick. These beasts get taught by pain to do their tricks and behave themselves.
Lions and tigers fear flames, and many get burned from the flaming hoops during training and in performances. If they decide not to do as they are told, then they could be whipped or shocked with cattle prods.
Elephants are trained with an ankus. This is a stick with a sharp hook on the end. An elephant's skin might be thick, but it's sensitive, and an elephant trainer always has an ankus close at hand. The device is used to strike sensitive areas like the ears, chin and face. Many of these big mammals can be seen swaying from side to side, a clear sign of depression in these intelligent beasts.
Food and water can even be withheld before parades to keep an animal from going to the bathroom en route. All of these cruel abuses can add up to a public safety hazard. An angry animal is dangerous, and occasionally one of them will rebel against its handlers and break loose, rampaging through the crowds and through the streets if it gets far enough.
The shocking abuse of circus animals might be unconscionable, but it's curiously tolerated. Everyone has favorite childhood memories of the circuses they attended, so it might be understandable if parents want their children to have those same memories. Unfortunately, these good times come with a high price, and the creatures of the circuses are the beasts who wind up paying it.
circus animals
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