Living Conditions of Circus Animals

Though circuses have been entertaining crowds for decades, questions have arisen concerning the living conditions and treatment of the animals involved in the circus performances. Wild animals, such as elephants, tigers, lions, monkeys, and bears have been used in traditional circuses for some time. However, the conditions of these captive animals are of concern to many.

  1. Laws

    • Federal laws, such as the Animal Welfare Act, have been set in place by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These laws are meant to protect performing animals in circuses and zoos across the country. However, many activists and protestors claim that the laws are too often violated and that they only provide minimal protection for the animals. Also, protestors argue that violators of the laws are hardly prosecuted and when they are, the penalties are not heavy enough.

    Education

    • Many circuses advertize their attractions as safe places for students and parents. They claim that visiting the circus inspires a love for animals within children and families. However, viewing wild animals in circus arenas does not teach children of the natural habitats and behaviors of those animals. In fact, seeing wild animals perform unnatural tricks may wrongly educate children and adults rather than provide them with accurate information on the animals.

    Conditions

    • Circus animals are often leased out for seasonal events. Usually, the animals have no permanent homes or activity areas. They are often constricted to cramped, unsanitary cages or holding cells and relocated from town to town or circus to circus. This also reduces the amount of veterinary care that they should receive. Many animals that are untrainable or too aged are sold to private owners, zoos or other attractions.

    Performance

    • Though circuses generally claim that positive reinforcement, love and nurturing are the only methods used to get animals to perform tricks, reports from various sources show that this is not necessarily the truth. To control wild animals and to appear dominant in efforts to force animals to perform, many trainers implement brutal strategies, such as beating the animals and starving them. Most wild animals, however, are not easily trained, and successful performances can be the results of harsh animal treatment.