Normally I post (infrequently) about art, but today I would like to call your attention to something you probably don't think or care much about. The Circus. For many years, I have been sickened by the reports of rampant abuse of captured animals used for "entertainment."
This weekend while treating my daughter to ice cream at our favorite local shop, I noticed a large, brightly colored poster advertising that Circus Gatti was coming to town. Making a mental note of the dates, I realized it was too late to write a letter of protest to our local paper or contact the sponsors of the show to launch a campaign against hosting this horrible and inhumane event in our city.
My daughter and I had never discussed the circus before, but after I told my girl just a small sampling of the abuses and court cases that involved captured and tortured animals, she is as outraged as I am. And no, I am not a tree-hugging, card carrying member of PETA or anything. I think some of their antics are outrageous, but I think their work to stop circus animal cruelty is vital to putting an end to the animal act circus industry. Please click on the link to watch videos and testimonies from former circus employees.
Please, before you take your child to an animal act circus or if you know of somebody who plans to do this, consider the following:
- Animals used in circuses do not perform because they want to; they perform because they are afraid not to.
- Trainers carry tools such as sharp metal bull hooks, various types of whips, sticks, and hand-held hot shots that deliver a jolt of electricity.
- If circuses relied only on positive reinforcement, trainers would be carrying bags of treats instead of weapons.
- The majority of animals used in circuses were captured in the wild when they were babies. They spend their lives forced to eat, drink, sleep, defecate, and urinate inside a cramped cage.
- Constant chaining, lack of exercise, long hours standing on hard surfaces in feces and urine, and performing physically unnatural and awkward tricks all lead to crippling injuries, which often times go untreated by veterinarians and may lead to death.
- In nature, bears don't ride bicycles, elephants don't sit upright on tubs, and tigers don't jump through flaming hoops. Animals would never perform these tricks without punishment.
- Circuses routinely pick up transient workers who include child predators, violent convicts, and drug abusers.
Please
boycott the circus in your city, urge your friends to do the same, write letters to your newspaper, contact your school board and circus sponsors to stand up for these tortured animals who don't have a voice.
Last, choose to support
Animal Free Circuses such as the enchanting
Cirque du Soleil who has proven magnificently that the circus does not need to feature captured and abused wild animals to entertain.
Until next time,
Adrienne
