We should not exploit any animal for fun
To the editor:
Well, it’s that time of the year once again when we in northern Maine get to go to the circus to experience the grandeur, the majesty, the exciting sights and sounds — that mask the reality of its tradition of causing suffering, cruelty, captivity and boring hours of traveling tedium that causes some of the wild animals to go berserk and kill their trainers and attendees.
When will it stop? Only when it no longer pays to kidnap and drag these wild animals out of their native habitats, their homes, separate them from their families (killing several in the process) and forcing them into submission to perform unnatural acts — all so that little Jimmy or Sally can have a thrill for an hour. A thrill most children would most gladly give up if they only knew the horrors their hour of amusement cost these creatures.
In the past, there was always rumors whispered about the training methods being cruel, but they were relatively easy to brush aside, since there was no real proof. Today, one need only go on the Internet and surf it for animal cruelty, such as several videos on PETA’s site. One such video shows baby elephants being separated from their mothers before their time, being literally tied down to the floor and poked with large bull hooks to “train” them to do cute tricks. During the shows, handlers use small, non-threatening looking prods to get the already terrified animals to do their bidding.
But the real cruelty comes during the excruciating long downtime between shows. The elephants are literally chained to stakes in the cement floor and cannot move more than a few inches. When traveling, they are stuffed into rail cars and again staked to the floor. In order to try to keep their sanity in these claustrophobic conditions, and in order to keep from cramping up, they sway back and forth constantly. Experts tell us this is because of intense anxiety. Imagine being staked to a floor for hours, sometimes days, on end until reaching the next destination, only to endure more jabbing to perform a mindless routine — after which it repeats again and again and again.
We here in the U.S. love our dogs and cats. Would we put our dog or cat into this situation? Of course not, because we love them! Why do we have the mindset that we have the right to exploit other animals? Is it because they’re not ours? Is it because we don’t know their ways as well? Is it because we don’t think they feel pain? Or miss their own families? Or don’t mind not having their freedom? Or because they’re just not human? Well, lions, elephants and bears are different from dogs and cats, but we shouldn’t be exploiting them because of it.
The truth of the matter is the circus does not need to exploit animals to attract people. People would still go to see the daring young man on the flying trapeze, the high-wire act, the cycling globe of death, clowns and knife acts or whatever. But the only way they’ll stop using animals to exploit them for our amusement, is if we make them know we’re no longer amused by not paying our money to attend.
Now a few days before the shows, the managers and handlers will assure everyone their animals are treated like royalty. Don’t be misled by mere words. I’m more persuaded by tons of video footage on the Internet.
Clare Kierstead
Presque Isle
