circus animals treated well or not

Circus animals, treated well or not?

For a very long time now I have wondered how circus animals are

treated. Are they taken care of and given the space, love, care and

attention they deserve?

I think space is out of the question. I believe that in most cases the

animals have very little space in which to live. Even with some zoos I

have personally visited over the years, I have seen animals pacing

back and forth glassy-eyed staring blankly into space.

As for love, I would assume that this would depend on who actually has

the animal as well as their personal feelings toward it. I'm sure that

not every keeper is cold-hearted and cruel but I'm sure there are some

who's primary concern is making money with the animals in their care

for as long as they can.

Care and attention is dodgy in some instances as well. It seems very

cruel to put an animal in a small cage and expect it to flourish as if

still in it's natural habitat.

It's nice to think and hope that all circus animals have it made and

are taken very good care of but I personally have my doubts.

Some years ago, I recall seeing some zoo animals in small cages

standing in dirty straw that obviously needed to be changed. The

animals looked so sad and miserable, I cried.

One of the keepers asked in an annoyed voice what was wrong with me. I

explained. He told me again in a rather annoyed voice, that these

animals were taken better care of there with the circus than they

would have been had they been left on their own in their native lands.

Somehow, his explanation just didn't wash with me. I knew better. I

stood staring at him and with a wave of his hand, he dismissed me and

walked away without another word. I felt empty somehow and very sorry

for the animals.

It's a shame that animals are still often thought of as commodities

care of them and see then as they are.

There is an interesting article in the Telegraph on circus animal

welfare that begins, "A ban on using wild animals in travelling

circuses because of welfare concerns is not supported by the

scientific evidence, a report for the Government has found."