Animals are not Entertainment

Animals have a long history of being used as entertainment, whether it be for movies, or circuses, or dog fighting. Unfortunately, in many situations where an animal is able to do unusually amazing tricks, they are probably being abused. Fortunately, there are certain organizations that are able to keep a healthy environment for the animals while using them for entertainment. 

Many of these unethical practices have been exposed—to begin with, SeaWorld’s attempts to hide their mistreatment of marine animals have been brought to light. Their two main performing species, orca whales and dolphins, are highly intelligent animals that contain a part in their brains that humans do not, making them more emotionally complex than us. Seaworld Orlando and SeaWorld San Antonio would breed these animals then separating the mothers and their kin. This leaves the whales and dolphins emotionally unstable, which leads to aggression not only to each other, but to humans as well. The orca whales and dolphins at SeaWorld are constantly found with rake marks from teeth on them. After decades of protest, SeaWorld announced that they will end their breeding program, meaning the current generation of orcas will be the last. However, there are still orcas in captivity in parks across the world.

The exploitation of animals is not unfamiliar in land animals either, as one of the most popular forms of animal entertainment are zoos, dating back to 1752. The animals in zoos are provided insufficient space. Especially for the species that tend to roam in the wild, this is a problem for both their mental and physical health. A government funded study found that generally, 54% of the elephants in zoos showed behavioral problems, much like the marine animals at SeaWorld. 

However, this doesn’t mean you should never go to a zoo ever again. There are sanctuaries that take in sick or rejected animals and make a conscious effort to care for them—many even allowing people to come and visit. Situations like these help and save these animals, making it a much more ethical choice compared to zoos. 

Levels of ethicality

• Don’t go to zoos
• Go to accredited sanctuary
• Go to an unaccredited sanctuary that seems to meet very high standards
• Go to an AHC-certified zoo or aquarium http://humaneconservation.org/
• Go to an aquarium or zoo that uses the majority of their revenue on promoting conservation (like the Monterey Bay aquarium)

It can be difficult to tell the difference between a true animal sanctuary and a zoo or a place that calls itself a sanctuary but mistreats animals. That’s why the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries exists—to determine just how ethical sanctuaries are. They ensure that their animals receive the “highest standards of care during rescue, rehabilitation, and the rest of their life.” Any sanctuary that is accredited by the GFAS is considered a “true sanctuary”, and therefore are humane in comparison to zoos.

What about petting zoos? 

Some may also question the ethicality of petting zoos, since people are coming in direct contact with the animals. However, for the most part, petting zoos are not harmful, especially because the animals that are in them are already domesticated. These animals are usually goats, llamas, sheep, or ponies—all animals that depend on humans and are used to interacting with them. A study conducted by Blair Drummond Safari and Rescue Park in Stirling, Scotland showed that the goats and llamas remained unbothered by the presence or absence of visitors. But, if more exotic animals were being used at petting zoos, it is a completely different story as certain animals react differently to human interaction. The study showed that even pigs spent less time interacting with each other when there were more visitors, so different species will react in different ways. 

Another controversial topic among animal entertainment is hunting. Although it is reasonable for hunters to hunt animals for meat, it is a different story when hunting seems like more of a game. There are certain boundaries that one must take in the hunting of animals even if it may not be totally illegal. For example, injuring an animal and leaving it to die for the sake of it is cruel and unreasonable. There are certain measures one must take in order to hunt in a more humane manner. 

1. Practicing first – before hunting, there is a level of skill one should have. By understanding the animal and your weapon, you can create a cleaner and quicker kill. This allows the animal to feel less pain than shooting blindly.
2. Following the law – there are vital reasons as to why there are hunting seasons. This is so that mothers are not killed in the midst of caring for their offspring and so the population of a certain species does not dwindle. By simply hunting in the right season, you can be making an ethical choice for the animals.