Some countries have laws that prohibit animals being used in circuses or other forms of entertainment because it is cruel to keep animals in an environment that can cause them stress. Should all countries have laws to prevent animals being used in circuses and similar forms of entertainment?
Animals can be seen in circuses performing various tricks, in races like hound and horse races and in fights like cockfights. In the later cases they are used for entertainment and gambling. They are taken outside their normal environment, trained and then forced to perform for humans.
There is no reason why animals should be used in circuses. It takes many years of training to tame a lion to jump through a hoop or to make an elephant follow a standard routine. These are wild animals that need to be hunting in the jungle and not entertaining young children. Circuses are crowd pleasers and they attract a great audience and use bright lights as performances are usually held in the evening. This environment is stressful for animals and they are put under great pressure. Similarly, horses that are used for show jumping may be injured if they fail to clear the obstacles placed before them.
What is more, animals are expensive to upkeep and transport from one location to the other. They need to be drugged when taken on a plane which is stressful for them. Humans are able to put on an impressive performance in circuses without the need to employ animals, for example there are clowns, acrobats, human cannon balls and trapeze artists.
I believe it is selfish to use animals for our entertainment and amusement by placing them in situations that they would not normally find themselves in. If a law was passed prohibiting animals from being used to entertain us, then circus managers would come up with creative solutions and acts without animals.
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