Humans have been keeping animals and using them for entertainment for thousands of years. Evidence demonstrates that lions were kept in cages in Macedonia as far back as 2,000 BC.
What types of animals are used in entertainment?
From elephants to dogs to orcas, all sorts of animals are used to entertain humans. Whether you’re going for a camel ride or swimming with dolphins, each of these animals have been trained to behave in certain ways around humans to offer us benefit and enjoyment.
Is it dangerous to use animals in entertainment?
While it might not be widely considered as dangerous to the audience, it can be highly damaging for the animal.
Animals are often thrust into high-stress, anxiety-inducing situations with little or no care from their human “trainers” or owners. As a consequence of the intense panic experienced in these situations, animals suffer heart attacks and often perish.
As well as mental ramifications, training an animal for entertainment often employs cruel, heartless, or physically abusive techniques.
What are some examples?
Elephants are struck with sharp iron hooks disguised as a flowered wands during performances. Bears are impaled through their muzzles with hot iron rods; coarse rope threaded through to cause excruciating pain by their trainer.
Majestic orcas, who normally swim 40 miles a day, are kept in tiny enclosures that don’t mimic the vast open waters and currents of our oceans. What’s even more worrying is that data about orcas kept in China and Russia is extremely difficult to get hold of, so we know very little about the conditions they’re kept in.
Orcas, much like humans, are part of families and have their own languages and culture. Many of the orcas currently in captivity have been torn from their wild families (pods) and made to live in isolation. Orcas are highly sociable creatures and scientists believe that they experience emotions more deeply than we do. Forcing them to perform for human entertainment is shameful.
What can you do to help?
The easiest thing you can do is to not take part in any event that uses animals. Don’t go to bullfights, don’t go to a rodeo to watch calf roping, and don’t bet on that horse race. Carefully research zoos and marine parks you plan to visit to avoid those who keep their animals in cramped, uninspiring enclosures.
