Circuses
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Introduction
Many of us grew up enjoying the circus and got excited when our parents announced it was that time of year. But most of us had no idea about the systemic, recurring abuse to the animals that went on behind the scenes in order to get them to perform for our entertainment. But it shouldn't be surprising, as the exploitation of animals is almost always associated with mistreatment and abuse.
In this article, we give some background about circuses and their popularity. We highlight some of the abuses the animals have been made to endure, and how we know about those abuses. We discuss anti-circus activism and share some information about circuses that have stopped operating and why they said they stopped. Finally, we discuss the success of some alternatives to the traditional animal-based shows.
All the ethical problems with circuses arise from a more fundamental problem, which is the belief that animals are here to be exploited by humans. As philosopher Tom Regan puts it, they "have a life of their own that is of importance to them, apart from their utility to us. They are not only in the world, they are aware of it and also of what happens to them. And what happens to them matters to them."
General Information
Brief History
The modern circus is thought to have originated in England in 1770. Cavalry officer Philip Astley had been setting up performances of horse-riding tricks since 1768, but in 1770 he hired clowns, acrobats, and other performers to entertain visitors in the intervals between horse-riding acts.[1] Others soon copied the format.
Initially, wild animals were only displayed as part of a menagerie. In the first half of the nineteenth century, elephants and big cats began to appear in circus acts. Other animals such as camels, zebras, bears, sea lions, and monkeys were later introduced.
One of the most famous circuses ever to exist was the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, advertised as “The Greatest Show on Earth.” In total, the circus and its predecessors ran for 146 years, from 1871 to 2017. It was formed by merging two large circuses (Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows and Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth). In 2016, the circus announced it would stop using elephants in its performances in response to pressure from animal rights groups.[2]
Ticket sales had been declining for a decade, which CEO Kenneth Feld blamed on changing public tastes. He also explained that the circus' traditional model of traveling by train and providing a school for performers' children was no longer sustainable. According to Feld's daughter Juliette, ticket sales fell further following the announcement that elephants would no longer be used.[3] These factors led the circus to shut down in 2017.[2]
Current Operations
<-- suggestions: * briefly, who are the big animal-using circuses, how large are they, and where do they operate * maybe list the smaller circuses * what circuses are still in business? * is business declining, holding steady, increasing, stats would be nice if available? -->
Circuses that still use animals include:
Garden Bros. Circus
This circus is based in Florida but tours the US and Canada. It also uses the name King Cole Circus. The company has had financial difficulties throughout its existence and has been sued multiple times for not paying bills.[4] However, it reported an increase in business after the closure of Ringling Bros.
UniverSoul Circus
Based in Georgia, tours the US.
Carson & Barnes Circus
Based in Oklahoma, tours the US.
Carden International Circus
Based in Missouri, tours the US.
Jordan World Circus
Based in Nevada, tours the US.
Investigations and Inspections
<-- Peta, other investigations, USDA inspections, etc. State general findings but save the details of specific abuses for the next section. Try not to rely too heavily on Peta's work, but if other investigations are not available, it's ok. -->
Abuses to Circus Animals
Circus animals are not willing volunteers who perform because they have a desire to entertain us. They are trained using abusive techniques, then compelled to perform out of fear of what will happen if they don't. As shown below, sorry living conditions, along with cruel handling and training are the rule for these animals.
Confinement
Since most circuses travel frequently, performing animals typically spend much of their time confined in small cages. The cages are often filthy, with animals forced to eat, drink, sleep, urinate and defecate in the cramped conditions. Elephants, who walk up to 40 miles a day in the wild,[5] are often chained by the legs for extended periods. They are sometimes confined for up to 23 hours a day.
Even when they are not traveling, many animals are kept confined whenever they are not training or performing. Circus animals often exhibit repetitive behaviors known as stereotypies. These are common in other captive animals, such as zoo animals. They include swaying, pacing, head-bobbing, and rocking. Some animals may even mutilate themselves or bang their heads on the walls of their cages. These behaviors are caused by the stress of being in captivity and are not found in wild animals.[6]
Transportation
Handling
Training
?Other
?Retirement / ?Slaughter
Danger to the Public
Activism
<-- * organized protests *?legal actions * ?other forms of activism xxx -->
Alternatives
<-- * Say something to the effect that even if there were no similar alternatives, circuses could still not be ethically justified. and... not that we need similar alternatives with so many forms of entertainment available... * You can discuss the success of alternatives * Cirque du Soleil * Suggest visiting/volunteering at a farm animal sanctuary * Other alternatives? -->
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ “Who Is Philip Astley.” The Philip Astley Project. Accessed October 1, 2019. https://www.philipastley.org.uk/philip-astley/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 “Timeline - Ringling Bros. Circus.” Accessed October 1, 2019. https://www.ringling.com/timeline.
- ↑ “‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ to Close after 146 Years, Ringling Brothers Says.” Accessed October 1, 2019. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ringling-brothers-greatest-show-on-earth-to-close-146-years/.
- ↑ RUGER, TODD. “Trouble Follows Shows’ Manager.” Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Accessed October 4, 2019. https://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090409/News/605246524.
- ↑ Cohn, Jeffrey P. “Do Elephants Belong in Zoos?” BioScience 56, no. 9 (2006): 714. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2006)56[714:DEBIZ]2.0.CO;2.
- ↑ Mason, Georgia J. “Stereotypies: A Critical Review.” Animal Behaviour 41, no. 6 (June 1991): 1015–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(05)80640-2.
Meta
This article was originally authored by Bethany Chester The contents may have been edited since that time by others.
<--Other Editorial Notes
- What have I left out? * Does there need to be additional sections, or maybe another structure is better; this is not written in stone—ping your editor. * It is not necessary to show that circuses and attending circuses are not vegan. * -->
