Animals have been used in circuses for generations, and while the sight of a lion jumping through fire, an elephant standing on its hind legs, or a monkey riding a bicycle may seem entertaining to some, these animals have to suffer a lifetime of abuse, confinement, and stress. Training circus animals are often deliberately misrepresented to make it appear as though they perform because they like i
t, when in reality it’s because they have been conditioned to do so as the trainer commands or they will face some form of abuse. Circuses and trainers may claim to uphold the best practices and to have the animal’s best interests at heart, but the facts speak for themselves. Here are just five of many abuses animals still endure in circuses:
1. The average circus travels for 48 weeks of the year, and during this time, the animals are all confined to tiny cages, only just big enough to stand and turn around in. Statistics show that the average time that the animals are caged for is in excess of 26 hours, and in some cases it was as long as 75 or 100 hours. In the wild, an elephant can walk up to 30 miles each day, highlighting the immense disparity between their cruel circus lifestyle and their natural one.
2. Babies are torn away from their mothers shortly after birth. Elephants, lions, tigers, and chimpanzees are all very social animals by nature, yet in the circus, these animals are taken away from their mothers at a very young age and brought up in a solitary environment where they cannot exhibit many of their natural behaviors. It is very common for these animals to develop stress related illnesses, depression, anxiety, and extreme frustration when they are deprived of companionship.
3. Physical punishment is the standard method of training. The training of circus animals is a dark and disturbing world which is hidden from the public eye. However, many investigators have been able to film secret footage of the horrific ways in which trainers force their animals to learn the tricks they perform on stage. Bull hooks, whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, and other barbaric tools are used to physically punish the animals until they learn to get it right. Bleeding, bruising, and even broken bones have been witnessed by investigators.
4. Partial starvation and dehydration is commonplace. As well as using direct physical contact to make the animals learn tricks, they are often forced to go without food and water for prolonged periods when they haven’t performed well during training sessions, as well as during travel periods. The deprivation of these basic necessities combined with the long term physical mistreatment and abuse of these animals is done in order to keep them afraid and submissive.
5. Animals can develop long-term disabilities. The captive state which these poor animals experience often leads to shorter lifespans, mental disorders, and physical disabilities resulting from a lack of any natural exercise and the extreme daily confinement. Joint problems are particularly common among elephants, lions, and tigers as they would naturally roam for miles, something which circus animals never get to experience. The unacceptable use of animals in circuses is on the decline worldwide with many countries choosing to ban it outright or impose very tight regulations. Lebanon may never be on that list, but people should be made aware of what is happening and hopefully with widespread knowledge, the abuse will finally stop.
