What is your view of animal performances in places such as circuses and amusement parks?

Many circuses in the US have either closed or have stopped using wild animals in their acts; but some still exist. What is your view of animal performances in places such as circuses and amusement parks? Are they acceptable if the animals are well treated?

It is something I never thought about until reading this book. I don’t know how well treated an animal could be when it is forced to perform in these shows. They live in cages and are moved around by train or truck. I don’t think any of that could be acceptable.

As much as we all enjoy any exposure we can get to wild animals, we all now know that even if the animals are treated well, circuses and amusement parks are not ideal situations for them. It is better if they are in wildlife sanctuaries that replicate their natural environments and also provide us affordable access to view them. In many instances, the animals are rescued and this is a good option. For example, the young of animals destroyed by poachers or other unethical people would probably not survive on their own. So intervention and placement in appropriate alternative parks by certified wildlife professionals would save their lives and give us some insights into them.

I admit to having been to a circus-my parents took me, and I took my son also. To be honest, at the time I was thinking only of his enjoyment. I wanted him to experience “the greatest show on Earth”! After he outgrew trips to the circus, I noticed that each year, right before the circus came to town, a friend posted on Facebook about the horrors of them and their inhumane treatment of animals. She also then listed several alternatives that would be as fun for a child to attend. At first (maybe because I felt guilty), I told myself she felt that way because she was “one of those crazy vegetarians”. Since then, I have educated myself and have to agree with her. I’m not sure how I could have ever considered myself a die hard elephant lover, and then actually paid money for my son to ride one while its foot was chained to a center pole. I have done a 180 and would only attend a circus today if there were no animal acts.

I have not been to a circus since I was a child but agree with what others have said about animals being forced to perform is not good even for little kids. Instead one should appreciate animals in something resembling their natural environment and all can learn more about nature and support their survival.

We took our sons to a circus over 20 years ago when they were young, but wouldn't do it today. I don't have a problem seeing animals who have been rescued and treated well. With my grandson we are thinking twice about where we take him to see animals.

While I have gone to the circus and have enjoyed the show, as an animal lover I am uncomfortable with the life these beautiful animals endure in that setting. I much prefer the zoo and animal sanctuaries.

I do not approve of circuses or animal amusement parks. No animal should be shocked or beaten into doing something that is totally unnatural to them. Elephants have been left crippled after being forced to perform for hours and then left to die when no longer useful. I am happy that today many zoos are creating areas where animals are in areas that are very close to their natural environments.

I have a vague recollection of going to a circus when young. Seeing whips made me quite unhappy, even though I was enthralled at seeing elephants and lions so close. Like many others, I like it when I see articles on animal parks that have the acreage and means to show older or hurt or abandoned animals and birds, in a habitat more appropriate for them.

I agree with the above comments. Animals should live in their natural habitat or at least in sanctuaries that resemble their natural habitat. Humans should not interfere but unfortunately, there are still so many people who don't appreciate the natural beauty of these precious animals.

I would like to see all circuses shut down and any zoo that doesn't have as natural habitats as possible for the animals, as well.

Well treated - is the key there. Are they? Are any of them? Wild animals were not born to be in captivity or to be the bread and butter of a showman.

I think circuses should be a thing of the past. As for zoos, I only hope that their interest is more than monetary and more about rescue and rehabilitation. This is a difficult balance. The Oakland Zoo in the San Francisco Bay Area is doing what they can in so many ways.

Animal performances should be outlawed. I do not think "training" an animal - particularly wild animals- to do tricks can be done and still consider an animal to be well treated.

I know a women who has a chihuahua. She brings him everywhere-restaurants, bars, dance venues, etc. Cortéz, the dog, is usually dressed in a serape-no joke! He is encouraged by his owner to dance/perform when a band is playing. Everyone just loves his “performance”, but it always makes me very uncomfortable. Your comment about training an animal to do tricks,rebeccar, made me think immediately of Cortéz. I think this must be very stressful for him. My point is that animals deserve to live with dignity.

I enjoyed them when I was a little girl. But as I got older and learned more about animals and how many of these places treated these animals I became repulsed by them. I remember one time we took my school-age daughter to a bull fight. I had never paid attention to how cruel the whole event was. I didn't think my daughter would ever recover. She cried most of the day afterwards. She then grew to not like any animal fur coats, even coats with animal fur on the hood. At the time my mother had planned to give my one of her mink coats but that didn't happen. Another conflict for me is watching the Kentucky Derby. My mother grew up in Lexington, Ky and raised us to enjoy it. She had a derby party every first Saturday in May. Many years ago a young woman worked for me who told me why she didn't like the Derby. She talked about how much physical stress was put on the horses. I stopped watching it for several years. However, once my mother passed, I started watching it again in memory of her. I just hope that the horses are treated better than maybe they were in the past.

As much as I love seeing animals I do not like seeing them in captivity in unnatural conditions. I know that some zoos specialize in maintaining almost extinct species and others in rehabilitating or rescuing animals who cannot survive in the wild, and I think that is very important. I hope that zoos will all try harder to provide better living conditions and not use animal performances as money makers.
I think other things like races, fights etc are abusive and horrific and always cheer when hunters, matadors, etc get hurt. I think trophy hunters are the most evil, pathetic people! I think how people treat animals is a strong reflection of their being.

Amusements Parks make me very anxious when I see animals preforming. Circuses I hope are better especially when we had big ones. Now with the little ones popping up I wonder if they are being treated well.

I absolutely don't agree with the use of animals as performers in circuses, carnivals, and amusement parks. Please note that I am not including zoos, reserves, and preserves in my indictment. I believe those institutions may be the only way we protect some species from extinction.

I am against animal performances of any kind. Zoos and sanctuaries that care for and provide homes for animals that would otherwise be at risk or killed are useful, since humans are such a threat. We must understand that animals are not inferior to us, just different.