Natalia Noyen
Should we ban the keeping of animals in circuses?
Mr. Kariku
English 9 As people we are extremely lucky, we have the chance to speak for ourselves, we are able to fight for our rights. Animals, on the other hand, are incapable of communicating with people, incapable of talking for themselves, and incapable of saying NO. They are helpless.

Circuses are an example of animals being held in captivity where they are tortured, beaten, and hurt. Though circuses expose wild animals to people who are not able to see them in their own habitat, these animals, in reality are not how they usually act in the wild. These animals are scared and beaten into doing these tricks. They are held captive until not needed anymore and then disposed of in a cruel way. Circuses do not treat animals the way they should be treated, this is cruel of our kind to ever keep them captive the way we do. Movies, including Madagascar, unintentionally show that it is okay to go to circuses and the animals are shown as happy. When, in reality, these animals are tormented everyday. We must respect all forms of life, and this is why this form of entertainment should be completely banned. Animals are not actors, therefore, will not do tricks voluntarily. Trainers in Circuses use whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bull hooks, and many other painful weapons to force animals to perform. Furthermore, trainers drug some animals to make them “manageable” and surgically remove the teeth and claws of others. Due to the way the trainers treat the animals in circuses, more than over 35 thousand dangerous incidents have occurred. Their have been cases where animals including elephants, have bolted from circuses, ruined buildings, attacked members of the audience, and in very serious cases have killed their handlers. These animals would only do this if they felt attacked, or were being hurt. Circuses are not a stationary form of entertainment, like a television. Circuses travel on average 48 weeks per year. The animals that are forced to go with them spend around 26 hours in small cages. A famous circus called the Ringling Bros. stated that it “travels 30,000 miles for 11 months, and visits more than 140 cities in North America!”(PETA). Animals were born free, they are not meant to be kept in small enclosures, and are not meant to be doing tricks. This form of confinement causes physical and psychological damage to the animals. Due to the animals immobility in these cages, they usually develop some sort of arthritis or other serious joint problems. This is not right. These animals are abducted from their families, friends, and habitat, and taken to unfamiliar places, where they are supposed to perform unnatural, uncomfortable, and confusing behaviour. How would you feel if you were taken from everything you knew and forced to do something you did not want to do? These Animals including the largest of the big 5, the elephant, are made to do head stands. This is physically uncomfortable and behaviourally unnatural. Lions which, are animals that have fears of water and fire, are supposed to jump through fire, and swim across large bodies of water. This is a form of terror. Animals did not voluntarily choose the circus life, they are kept in captivity and forced to perform in the show. The circus animals are made to perform in front of loud crowds under big bright lights. Wild animals have specific needs, all these needs are different. Yet, circus animals whether they are a lion or an elephant, are kept under the same conditions and are trained similarly. This neglect of these animals is an embarrassment to the human kind. People are now realising this form of entertainment is not okay. They are now aware of the scars on the animals as they watch them perform their tricks and they are now discovering the conditions these animals must face to put on a show almost every night of the year. Activists are now taking a stand against this