Circuses and performing animals
- Elephants are brutally trained to perform such demeaning tricks
Thousands of wild animals are used worldwide in circuses, side-shows, within zoos, and in advertising, film and television, to perform demeaning and unnatural tricks to entertain the public. The animals can live life continually on the move, often travelling vast distances chained, tethered or encaged, and endure harsh training regimes in order to correctly perform in front of an audience or camera. This is no life for a wild animal.
The first modern circus was established in 1768 in London, with horses and riders performing tricks. In later years, ‘wild beasts’ were made to perform alongside jugglers, acrobats and clowns, performing tricks which bore little relation to their natural behaviour. Today, little has changed. Wild animals are still moved from location to location, repeatedly loaded and unloaded, cramped into beastwagons or chained within trucks and trained to perform demeaning stunts. Encouragingly the popularity of circuses with animals is in decline as the public seek other forms of entertainment.
It is widely acknowledged that vertebrate animals can experience pain, suffering and distress. Research has shown that keeping wild animals in cramped conditions, in inadequate and unnatural social environments and subjecting them to repeated travel causes heightened stress responses that result in a serious negative impact on animal welfare. Many countries now have animal protection laws, and some have banned the use of some or all wild animals in circuses (e.g. Austria, Singapore).
Compiled by the Born Free Foundation with the help of www.crowtv.com and www.vividbroadcast.co.uk, this film provides some shocking footage and facts about the use of wild animals in circuses. Animals continually transported from place to place, kept in totally inadequate conditions and forced to perform in a degrading manner for our entertainment. This kind of exploitation has no place in the 21st Century. Join Born Free in calling for an end to the use of ALL wild animals in circuses.
Further Information
- Even in the UK animals still suffer in circuses
Born Free believes circuses and animal shows are cruel and unnecessary. You may not be aware that there are still travelling shows in the UK which use wild animals from tigers and lions to camels and even an elephant. This archaic exploitation of wild animals must be put to an end. Find out more about wild animals in UK circuses and read the joint Born Free / RSPCA report campaigning for the ban of their use here.
Learn about the decline of the animal circus in the UK and how the Born Free Foundation has been a leading force behind the campaign to end the use of all wild animals in circuses. There are many circuses with animals in Europe and further afield.
Download fact sheet on International Circuses - PDF 94KB
Following years of pressure by animal organisations, demeaning adverts with chimpanzees drinking tea have thankfully been discontinued. But wild animals are still used to advertise products in commercials and perform on screen to entertain the public.
Download Animals in Film - PDF 89KB
A popular souvenir in many tourist resorts around the world, the use of wild animals for photographic opportunities can have a serious impact on the welfare of the animals involved. Find out how you can stop this exploitation.
Download Wild Animals as Photo Props - PDF 53KB
Dancing bears are a traditional form of entertainment in some countries, but the truth is a tale of capture, trauma, pain and a lifetime of suffering. Find out about the movement to stop this barbaric exploitation of bears.
Download fact sheet on Dancing Bears - PDF 119KB
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