elephants never forget.
Personally, I love circuses (or I love the idea of them—haven’t been since I was eight or so).
But I’m learning that they’re sometimes cruel. While I don’t know an alternative for we humans to meet our animal friends—I’ll assume PETA doesn’t like zoos, either—and while I don’t hear enough via Peta re how to save elephants in their natural habitat, the below “facts” have given me pause in my “love” for “fun” circuses.
Via PETA:
Elephants forced into circuses are often denied exercise and veterinary care.
Elephants in circuses are transported around the country in filthy, stifling trailers and boxcars.
Circus trainers use a barbaric device called a bullhook on elephants. Bullhooks resemble a fireplace poker and cause pain, suffering, and injuries.
Elephants used in circuses are kept in leg shackles that allow them to take only a single step forward or backward.
Elephants forced into circuses are often denied exercise and veterinary care.
Elephants in circuses are transported around the country in filthy, stifling trailers and boxcars.
Circus trainers use a barbaric device called a bullhook on elephants. Bullhooks resemble a fireplace poker and cause pain, suffering, and injuries.
Elephants used in circuses are kept in leg shackles that allow them to take only a single step forward or backward.
Elephants used in the circus are beaten, shocked, and whipped—over and over again—in order to make them perform tricks that are often painful and confusing to them.
Ricardo, an 8-month-old baby elephant, was euthanized after he fell off a circus pedestal and fractured his legs at Ringling’s training compound.
Elephants do not perform grueling circus tricks unless they’re forced to—often through the use of beatings and domination.
Constant confinement leads to unnatural behavior in elephants, such as head-bobbing and swaying, and causes deadly foot problems.
The Animal Welfare Act does not prohibit the use of bullhooks, whips, electric shock prods, or other devices that are commonly used by circus trainers on elephants.
Elephants can recognize each other from the sound of their calls.
Elephants engage in greeting ceremonies when a friend who has been away for some time returns to the group.
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