However, I would like to point out that, at least here in the EU, there's plenty of sanctuaries and rescues where you can go see real, rescued animals, like lions and bears, and they're not a scam. The audience is forced to keep their distance, the staff and signs are very informative and the animals don't perform tricks anymore. But if they're okay with people, they might be brought in for a pet (not the lions, obviously), so make sure you do your research, there's plenty of places that really care for abused animals. There's a fantastic bear sanctuary in Greece, called Arcturus, where they look after rescued bears. The animals roam free in a high altitude natural environment and their medicals needs, such as pureed food (because many had their teeth removed), are provided. You need to do a good hike to reach it, but if you happen to be in the north of Greece, it's def worth a visit.

I am also so happy that we banned that toxic s**t! Never again!

These were good reads. I never rode on an elephant, but I'm glad I never did. If it makes you feel happier, circuses are beginning to use holographic animals instead of real ones.

@Sperenity: Not really, in the sense that I don't find anything entertaining in a real or fake tiger doing the chicken dance with a carpet as a hat. If people do enjoy the hologram then great, but I don't see anything worth spending time on. If it's research on real animals to show their capabilities, intelligence and artistic inclinations, that's brilliant, but other than that just go to a santuary or even a good zoo to see the animals.

WHAT THE HELL? Abused or not animals shouldn't be taken from their homes and forced into a circus for the pathetic purpose of entertaining humans! And "Sadly if mankind doesn't have a purpose for a type of animal that animal tends to go extinct so preservationists pushing to end all use instead of making it humane may not realize it but they pushing in a direction of extinction for these animals" is complete BS!!! Lions don't serve a purpose to humans (because I don't count having them in a circus a "purpose") and they aren't extinct. Also in case you didn't know, the "purpose" animals have to humans is I don't know, KEEPING THE FOOD STABLE! Animals do not exist for the benefit of humans! They have their own lives! And really we don't animals to survive, because humans don't need to eat meat.

Animals who perform in circuses are abused. It's not natural or healthy or kind for animals to be separated from their mothers at very young ages and forced to perform for humans. Especially elephants who live in large, close families in the wild. The emotional lives of elephants is well documented, which makes their capture(kidnapping) and subsequent harsh and abusive living conditions even more unforgivable. They grieve their dead, they search for and mourn their missing, they show compassion and joy individually and as a herd family. Elephants don't breed well in captivity so the vast majority in zoos, circuses, or any other money making operation have been stolen as babies from their mothers in the wild. This is abuse. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/echo-an-elephant-to-remember-elephant-emotions/4489/

Physical pain isn't the only abuse animals suffer. Animals that go through stuff like this suffer from a lot of mental trauma. I find everything you just said completely idiotic.

"If mankind doesn't have a purpose for a type of animal..." So if we don't have a use for a species, it doesn't have a purpose and we won't try to save it from extinction? Or we will deliberately push it towards extinction?

No they don’t

PrincessTheSiameseKat follower