Circus Acts That Use Wild Cats Should be Banned
Big cats and other animals do not belong in circuses. Circus life is inherently cruel for two key reasons:
The animals spend the vast majority of their time confined in tiny boxes while being transported from city to city.
Trainers claim they only use positive reinforcement, but that is not true. Cats are independent and while they quickly learn the behaviors, they simply will not perform reliably based on positive reinforcement, or what is known as operant conditioning. They will perform only if they feel like it. The ONLY way to get them to perform reliably is by training them with physical punishment, which is a form of abuse.
Social values evolve over time. We forget that it was only 100 years ago that a small band of suffragettes seeking the vote for women were mocked, beaten and thrown in jail by a society that broadly accepted the idea that only men should vote. Similarly, fifty years ago almost no one thought about what life was like for circus animals. The circus was viewed then, and still is by some, as part of the American identity.
But, in the last two decades that has changed dramatically. Country after country has banned using big cats and other animals in circuses. Sadly, nationally the U.S. is woefully behind at the national level, with the one large circus employing an army of lobbyists to resist efforts to correct this injustice. But, at the local level, there has been enormous progress in the United States. Over 50 local governments have passed ordinances or laws banning use of animals in circuses or limiting the abusive ways they are treated.
Bull hook bans are a great example. A bull hook is a medieval looking pole with a metal point and hook at the end. Do you know why the ban works? Because young elephants are beaten with the bull hook so they fear it as adults. If circus trainers cannot carry a bull hook into the ring, they have no way to control the elephants. The result? Ringling is stopping use of elephants in their circus. They should also stop using big cats.
We are seeing the evolution of our society’s concern for animal treatment affect other major animal exhibitors. The movie Blackfish resulted in major changes at Sea World.
Below are videos that give you a more vivid view of the history and issues related to the circus. Below them are lists of countries and US jurisdictions that have responded to the growing public outrage over cruel use of animals in the circus.
What can you do to help?
Sign the pledge committing not to attend a circus that uses animals by clicking the image below and spread the word on social media asking others to do so. If enough people stop attending, the circus will become unprofitable and will stop using animals, much like lower attendance caused Sea World to change.
This amazing peer-reviewed article, published in 2009 by the U.K. scientific journal Animal Welfare, presents tons of cited, scientific proof that completely blows apart all of the claims of “animal welfare” and “conservation” made by circuses (it was already mentioned on your site, but I thought you might want the actual article.) The authors examined virtually all other studies regarding the husbandry and welfare of exotic animals in traveling circuses, with a particular focus on elephants and big cats, in an attempt to analyze the implications that circus life has on the welfare of animals. Their verdict? “Species commonly kept in circuses appear the least suited to a circus life.” http://bigcatrescue.org/lions-and-tigers-are-the-animals-least-suited-to-life-in-a-circus/
Among this paper’s findings were that:
“…the contribution of circuses to captive breeding conservation programmes is, at best, negligible.”
“Circus animals spend the majority of the day confined, a small amount of time performing/training, and the remaining time in exercise pens. Circus cages/exercise pens and beast wagons were, on average, only 26 and 27%, respectively of the recommended size of zoo outdoor and indoor enclosures. Circuses, by their very nature, have a limited ability to improve these conditions.”
The paper also claims that “the majority of the evidence available suggests that human audiences have stressful effects on non-domesticated animals,” noting that circus tigers pace 80% more when on display to the public; and that constant, loud noise from crowds or music has been documented to cause gastroenteritis in big cats. Another interesting finding was that, “In a study on the transport environment in six USA circuses, only two circuses used insulated walls and high capacity ventilation fans to maintain internal temperatures within a safe range.”
Finally, the authors point out that although virtually all circus animals were born in captivity, “this does not mean such animals are fundamentally different from free-living animals.” They write that “there is no evidence to suggest that the natural needs of non-domesticated animals can be met through the living conditions and husbandry offered by circuses”, and that “neither natural environment nor much natural behaviour can be recreated in circuses.”
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/zoo-check/circuses-performing-animals/
TALKING POINTS
Tigers don’t want to jump through hoops of fire
Elephants don’t want to balance on their back legs on top of a ball
Lions don’t want to be hit with whips
Elephants don’t want sharp bull hooks poking them until they bleed
Tigers don’t want to be electrocuted with prods
Even the baby elephants are tied up with ropes and chains!
This is their very sad life in the circus
Animals perform because they are afraid of being hurt!
They perform stupid tricks because they are scared of the trainers
Tigers and lions spend most of their time in tiny cages with no exercise
Elephants spend most of their time chained to the ground so tightly they can’t walk even a couple of steps
The animals lose their minds after a while, but the circus trainers still don’t care
People use animals in the circus to make money
Circus owners don’t care if the elephants cry
Circus owners don’t care if the tigers are hurt…or thirsty…or scared
Circus owners don’t care if the lions are tired or starving
Some of the animals even die
It is up to us kids to help the animals
Animals should be treated with kindness
Animals should be respected, not abused
Don’t ever buy a ticket to any circus that has animals (or don’t let your parents buy tickets)
Worldwide circus bans
Posted: 27 March 2006. Updated: 16 December 2014 by http://www.ad-international.org/animals_in_entertainment/go.php?id=281
EUROPE
Austria: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
Belgium: Nationwide ban on the use of most wild animals in circuses (Parrots and camel are classed as domestic)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Nationwide ban on all animals in circuses
Croatia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
Czech Republic: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses.
Cyprus: Nationwide ban on all animals in circuses
Denmark: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses.
Estonia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild-born animals in circuses.
Finland: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses.
Greece: Nationwide ban on all animals in circuses
Hungary: Nationwide ban on the use of wild caught animals in circuses, the purchase and training of elephants and primates for circus performances and the purchase, training and use of CITES (Appendix 1) listed species in circuses.
Ireland: Local bans on the use of animals in circuses in Clonakilty, Cork, Drogheda, Fingal, Galway City, Kildare, Monaghan, Moyle, South Dublin and Waterford
Malta:Nationwide ban on all animals for performances, exhibitions, shows or training for the circus
The Netherlands Nationwide ban on the use and transport of animals in circuses, with exemptions for certain, mostly domestic, species
Norway Local ban on wild or exotic animal shows in Tromsø municipality
Poland: Nationwide ban on the use of wild-born animals in circuses.
Portugal: Nationwide ban restricting the use of great apes in circuses and the acquisition and breeding of CITES listed species.
Slovenia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses
Spain: Local bans on the use of wild animals in circuses in several towns including Barcelona.
Sweden: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses.
UK: Over 200 local authorities have bans on animal circuses (more than two thirds of these ban all performing animals, the remainder ban just wild animals). A Government commitment to ban the use of wild animals in circuses – this is yet to be enacted.
NORTH AMERICA
USA: 46 partial or full bans on circus animals in municipalities in the US, in 21 states.
Canada: Local bans on the use of animals in circuses in 28 municipal jurisdictions.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
Argentina: Local bans on the use of wild animals in circuses in over 20 cities including a ban in the city of Buenos Aires.
Bolivia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild and domestic animals in circuses.
Brazil: Local bans on the use of wild and domestic animals in circuses in the districts of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Pernambuco, Paraiba, Rio Grande do Sul, Espiritu Santo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Alagoas and a number of bans in cities within another four Brazilian states.
Chile: Local bans on the use of wild and domestic animals in circuses in the city of Santiago.
Colombia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses; Local ban on the use of animals in circuses in the capital, Bogota.
Costa Rica: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
Ecuador: Nationwide ban on the use of native wild animals; restrictions on the use of exotic animals; ban on the import of both native and exotic wild animals with circuses
El Salvador: Nationwide ban on the “Income, use or abuse of wildlife species in all kinds of entertainment”
Mexico:Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses
Panama:Nationwide ban prohibiting “entry of wild animals for use in static and travelling circuses and similar shows”
Paraguay: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
Peru: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses as well as a local ban on all animals in Magdalena del Mar.
OCEANIA
Australia: Local bans on the use of animals in circuses in several towns including Hobsons Bay, Surf Coast Shire, Parramata and Lismore.
ASIA
India: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses.
Israel: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
Singapore: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
Taiwan: Nationwide prohibition on the import or export of protected wildlife for circuses.
Our thanks to Animal Defenders International (ADI) for the list below of U.S. jurisdictions passing some form of ban
City/County Ordinance
Species Covered
Type of Prohibition, Restriction or Use of Animals
AK, Eureka Springs
Wild, exotic
Says Ban. Is that Display?
AR, Sherwood
Wild, exotic
Possession
CA, Corona
Wild, exotic
Display
CA, Encinitas
Wild, exotic
Entertainment, amusement
CA, Huntington Beach
Wild, exotic
Performance
CA, Irvine
Wild, exotic
Display
CA, Los Angeles
Elephants
Tools designed for inflicting pain
CA, Marin County
Wild, undomesticated
Keeping; bullhooks & other implements as of 2017
CA, Oakland
Bullhooks & other implements as of 2017
CA, Pasadena
Wild, exotic
Display
CA, Rohnert Park
Wild, exotic
Display
CA, San Francisco
?
Display (says Complete Ban)
CA, Santa Ana
Wild, exotic
Display
CA, Santa Monica
Elephants?
CA, West Hollywood
Wild, exotic
Display
CA, State
Elephants
Ban deprivation, electricity, some punishment, some instruments
CO, Boulder
Exotic
Display
CT, Stamford
All
All
FL, Clearwater
Wild
Keeping
FL, Hallandale Beach
Bullhooks & other implements
FL, Hollywood
All
Displays or exhibits
FL, Margate
All
Painful techniques and devices
FL, Miami Beach
FL, Palm Beach
FL, Pompano Beach
All
All except educational. Ban on painful techniques/ devices
FL, Tallahassee
All
Use of substances and devices in exhibits & performances
FL, Weston
Wild
Keeping, confinement, display
GA, Atlanta
Elephants
Bans certain mistreatment
GA, Fulton County
Elephants
Painful instrument or device
HI, Maui County
Cetaceans
Exhibition
ID, Ketchum
Full Ban
ID, Blaine County
Full Ban
IL, Collinsville
All
Train to participate in unnatural behavior
IN, Fort Wayne
All
Painful substances and devices
IN, St John
All
Unnatural behavior & substances/devices causing injury or suffering
KS, Douglas County
Dangerous, exotic
Ownership or possession barred in certain areas
MA, Braintree
Non-‐-‐-‐domesticated
Entertainment
MA, Plymouth
Wild, exotic
Exhibition, show
MA, Quincy
Non-‐-‐-‐domesticated
Entertainment
MA, Revere
Non-‐-‐-‐domesticated
Entertainment, amusement
MA, Somerville
Non-‐-‐-‐domesticated
Display
MA, Weymouth
Non-‐-‐-‐domesticated
Display, entertainment
MO, Richmond
Wild, exotic
Display
MT, Missoula
Full Ban
NC, Asheville
Full ban
NC, Orange County
Wild, exotic
Display
NC, Chapel Hill
Wild, exotic
Display
NY, Greenburgh
Wild, exotic
Circuses
NY, Southampton
Wild, exotic
Display
OH, State
All
Use of electric prods
OR, Clatsop County
SC, Aiken County
All
Painful substances and devices
SC, Chester
Dangerous
Display, exhibition
SC, State
Marine Mammals
Display
TX, Austin
Elephants
Bullhook ban
TX, Simonton
Dangerous
Possession (different from keeping?)
VA, Richmond
VT, Burlington
Non-‐-‐-‐domesticated
Display
WA, Port Townsend
Wild, exotic
Display
WA, Redmond
Wild, exotic
Display
WI, Dane County
Elephants
Full ban (not sure what comments about “one circus only” mean)
WI, Green Bay
Wild, exotic
Traveling shows, circuses
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