The recently announced closing of the Ringling Circus, which has run for more than 100 years, was heralded by many as the end of an era in which it was considered entertaining to watch animals perform tricks, such as dogs riding bicycles and elephants dancing.
Nearly at the same time, the killer Whale, Tilikum, died. The shows of his will not be replaced. This is another end to an era in public entertainment that involved animals performing tricks.
Since then, attitudes have certainly changed – we are now more ethical. Or have we changed?
Cirque de la popularité s’est affaibli
Videos of animals performing tricks are now available in thousands. These animals perform unnatural and bizarre tricks, such as dogs riding surfboards or cats on sleds.
There is one major difference. According to reports, circuses use brutal methods to train the animals. They are kept in cramped quarters, especially while traveling.
It can lead to the performance of stereotyped behaviors, such as weaving elephants. They persist after the animals have retired from circuses and are proof of poor animal welfare.
The decline in attendance is the main reason why circuses like Ringling Brothers Circus have closed. This is due to the numerous alternative attractions available for children today.
The relentless criticism of a variety of animal advocacy groups has accompanied this. These range from the moderate RSPCA to the radical PETA. They have a strong influence on the public’s opinion through their highly effective use of modern media.
The circuses are fighting back. Marthe Kiley Worthington, an animal behaviorist, in a review of The Welfare of Performing Animals (David Wilson), cites that the animals are trained to do amazing things as if they were a reason for maintaining these outdated forms of entertainment.
She defends circuses by claiming that animals aren’t aware of the cruelty they suffer and that all animal industries are cruel. It’s like saying murdering people is okay because people kill in wars.
It is wrong to view animals in this manner, especially animals made to act like children. This damages our relationship with them. This encourages anthropocentrism, in which humans are expected to dominate and control animals.
Zoos keep public support.
Zoos are not criticized for encouraging humans to adopt an anthropocentric approach.
First, they try to keep the animals as close to nature as possible. A chimp riding around on a bike in a circus is far from natural, but chimps in zoos have companionship and enrichment to support their natural behavior.
Zoos are a combination of conservation and education.
They do not use negative reinforcement or punishment to teach tricks to animals, if at all.
Live demonstrations of tigers and seals, as well as other zoo creatures, are now more popular than ever. However, these live shows focus on the animals’ abilities in the wild or their physical prowess.
Why is there a shift in attitudes?
A mature, responsible attitude toward animals has developed in the public. The media has played a major role in educating the public about the diversity and depth of animals.
Since Charles Darwin, it has become clearer that people are interested in the way animals live and function. This symbiotic connection may be deeply embedded in our genetic makeup. This shows that we take our responsibility for animals seriously.
The Christian religion in the West has also shaped attitudes towards animals. However, its ancient origins have provided a dated, anthropocentric view of the animal kingdom. The Bible tells in its first chapter that:
God said to [mankind ]…: “Rule over all the living creatures on earth and over the birds that fly in the air and over the fish and sea in the ocean.”
The decline in Christianity in the West may, despite all the problems it brings, have the positive effect of encouraging an animal-friendly attitude. We may be able to see that we are all part of a huge ecosystem, and as much as we depend on nature for our survival, it is on us.
Animals need to be better understood.
False anthropomorphism is a danger with the growing public acceptance of animal responsibility. Scientists are working hard to find out what animals think, but without this information, the public gives animals the benefit of the doubt. This is yet another example of the changing attitudes towards animals.
Animals have been credited, from Rudyard Kipling and J.K. Rowling to J.K. Rowling, with powers that no scientist has ever proven they possess. This is false anthropomorphism. A goat does well at being a goat, but it would die if it spent 20% of its energy on cognitive processes like we do.
It may be easier for some children and adults to empathize when animals are given human characteristics that they don’t possess, but this does not help to meet their needs within the ecological niche in which they have adapted.
We can’t justify the suffering of many circus animals by focusing on their tricks. But we also cannot ignore the plight of animals who suffer from intensive farming practices, climate change, habitat destruction, or overpopulation of pets.