1. Checklist for Inspecting Animals Traveling With Circuses
UNLOADING OF ANIMALS
- Be sure to be present when the circus is unloading its animals.
- Check the vehicles for anything that could endanger the animals, such as protruding nails, rusty panels, ventilation problems, etc.
- Document inside and outside temperatures.
FOOD/WATER
- All animals should have constant access to fresh water. Circuses may try to withhold water in order to avoid "untimely urination in the ring."
- Elephants should have palatable hay within reach at all times.
- No public feeding of elephants should be allowed.
- Inspect the stored animal food, checking for any contamination or mold.
SHELTER
- All animals should have access to shade at all times including elephants giving rides.
- Elephants should never be housed in a nonmoving vehicle for longer than 15 minutes unless the outside temperature is below 60 degrees F.
CONFINEMENT
- All animals should be able to turn fully around, lie down, and stand up while in cages.
- Animals must not be forced to stand in their own excrement.
- Big cats should have a resting board.
- Primates must have environmental enrichment (this includes toys, such as balls, ropes, tires, etc.).
- If an elephant is chained, the front chain must be larger than the front ankle by 4 to 6 inches. The back chain must be covered with rubber or cloth to protect the leg.
“The chains must be of sufficient length and arrangement so as to permit each elephant to comfortably lie down, get up, self-groom, and move about within a reasonable range.” (USDA Policy #6, Space and Exercise Requirements)
- Document any stereotypic behavior such as rocking, weaving, pacing, self-mutilation, and cribbing (bar-biting).PERFORMANCE
- Observe animals for any difficulty doing specific maneuvers. This may be a sign of an injury.
- Look for hooking, whipping, or hitting the animals to make them perform. Document everything.
- There should be a safety barrier between the animals and the audience.
CRUCIAL SIGNS TO LOOK FOR
- If an elephant is down on his or her side and does not rise when you approach, this is a sign of a serious problem. Elephants do sleep on their side, but they do not stay down when strangers approach because this is a very vulnerable position. Since an elephant naturally sleeps only four hours each night, sleeping during the day also signals a problem.
- Observe the elephants’ feet for any cracking on their toenails.
- Observe all animals for lameness, abrasions, wounds, urine burns, saddle sores, and puncture marks.
- Look for any submissive urination. This is a sign of fear. If you observe any animals exhibiting this, document the handler’s name.
- Elephants, horses, or camels should never be forced to give rides if they are showing signs of stiffness or other physical discomfort.
- No animal should perform if any signs of illness or discomfort are present.
REMINDER
Use your city and state animal cruelty laws whenever applicable.
If you observe problems with any of the aforementioned, contact the USDA and PETA IMMEDIATELY. Insist that the USDA send an inspector to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. PETA can track the circus' future destinations and alert animal control officers in each city.
Original site: http://www.circuses.com/checklist.asp
Quick Facts
In the wild, bears don’t ride bicycles, tigers don’t jump through fiery hoops, and elephants don’t stand upright on their hind legs. Circuses portray a distorted view of wildlife.
Laws protecting animals in traveling shows are inadequate and poorly enforced. The Animal Welfare Act establishes only minimum guidelines and even these meager standards are often ignored.
Animals used in circuses live a dismal life of domination, confinement, and violent training. It is standard practice to beat, shock, and whip them to make them perform ridiculous tricks that they cannot comprehend.
Most elephants used by circuses were captured in the wild. Once removed from their families and natural habitat, their lives consist of little more than chains and intimidation. Baby elephants born in breeding farms are torn from their mothers, tied with ropes, and kept in isolation until they learn to fear their trainers.
Big cats, bears, and primates are forced to eat, drink, sleep, defecate, and urinate in the same cramped cages.
Elephants often suffer crippling injuries from constant chaining and performing physically difficult tricks.
Children, who are naturally fond of animals, would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the circus if they knew of the suffering these animals endure for a fleeting moment of so- called amusement.
The circus deprives animals of their basic needs to exercise, roam, socialize, forage, and play. Stereotypic behaviors such as swaying back and forth, head-bobbing, pacing, bar-biting, and self-mutilation are common signs of mental distress.
Using dangerous animals in performances jeopardizes public safety and often puts children at greatest risk. Since 1990, 57 people have been killed and more than 120 seriously injured by captive elephants.
Animals in circuses are hauled around the country in poorly ventilated trailers and boxcars for up to 50 weeks a year in all kinds of extreme weather conditions. Access to the basic necessities of food, water, and veterinary care is often inadequate.
A growing number of cities are restricting or banning the use of animals in entertainment. More progressive circuses dazzle their audiences solely with skilled human performers.
Report on animal circuses:
report on a study of animal circuses : CIRCUSES CANNOT MEET THE NEEDS OF ANIMALS
Circus cruelty 27 June 2009 by Craig Redmond, Manchester, UK Magazine issue 2714. Subscribe and get 4 free issues. For similar stories, visit the Letters Topic Guide You report on a study of animal circuses by the University of Bristol, UK (23 May, p 5). The British government is still stalling over a pledge made t...hree years ago to stop wild animals appearing in circuses. This timely study shows why it must follow through on its commitment. It shouldn't really take a scientist to make it obvious that a travelling circus, by its very nature, cannot meet the needs of animals. The inconstant conditions, brought about by weekly relocation, mean that animals often don't have access to exercise or grazing and are confined to cages or small stalls. A few minutes in the ring will not provide sufficient enrichment, particularly if training is carried out with force or cruelty. UK circuses still use elephants, tigers, lions and even a red fox. A ban can't come soon enough for these animals. The same ethical objections apply to domesticated animals used for entertainment; they endure the same welfare and confinement problems as the non-domesticated species. The Captive Animals' Protection Society, working with other charities, is lobbying hard for the government to bring animal use in circuses to an end. In the meantime, we encourage people to visit only those shows that rely entirely on the skills of human performers. The Captive Animals' Protection Society Read More
Horrifying videos and links:
Methods used in training:
ANIMALS ARE NOT OURS FOR ENTERTAINMENT
http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=carson_barnes&Player=wm
websites and links for circuses in Egypt
http://jenakouta.wetpaint.com/
1. Checklist for Inspecting Animals Traveling With Circuses
UNLOADING OF ANIMALS
- Be sure to be present when the circus is unloading its animals.
- Check the vehicles for anything that could endanger the animals, such as protruding nails, rusty panels, ventilation problems, etc.
- Document inside and outside temperatures.
FOOD/WATER
- All animals should have constant access to fresh water. Circuses may try to withhold water in order to avoid "untimely urination in the ring."
- Elephants should have palatable hay within reach at all times.
- No public feeding of elephants should be allowed.
- Inspect the stored animal food, checking for any contamination or mold.
SHELTER
- All animals should have access to shade at all times including elephants giving rides.
- Elephants should never be housed in a nonmoving vehicle for longer than 15 minutes unless the outside temperature is below 60 degrees F.
CONFINEMENT
- All animals should be able to turn fully around, lie down, and stand up while in cages.
- Animals must not be forced to stand in their own excrement.
- Big cats should have a resting board.
- Primates must have environmental enrichment (this includes toys, such as balls, ropes, tires, etc.).
- If an elephant is chained, the front chain must be larger than the front ankle by 4 to 6 inches. The back chain must be covered with rubber or cloth to protect the leg.
“The chains must be of sufficient length and arrangement so as to permit each elephant to comfortably lie down, get up, self-groom, and move about within a reasonable range.” (USDA Policy #6, Space and Exercise Requirements)
- Document any stereotypic behavior such as rocking, weaving, pacing, self-mutilation, and cribbing (bar-biting).PERFORMANCE
- Observe animals for any difficulty doing specific maneuvers. This may be a sign of an injury.
- Look for hooking, whipping, or hitting the animals to make them perform. Document everything.
- There should be a safety barrier between the animals and the audience.
CRUCIAL SIGNS TO LOOK FOR
- If an elephant is down on his or her side and does not rise when you approach, this is a sign of a serious problem. Elephants do sleep on their side, but they do not stay down when strangers approach because this is a very vulnerable position. Since an elephant naturally sleeps only four hours each night, sleeping during the day also signals a problem.
- Observe the elephants’ feet for any cracking on their toenails.
- Observe all animals for lameness, abrasions, wounds, urine burns, saddle sores, and puncture marks.
- Look for any submissive urination. This is a sign of fear. If you observe any animals exhibiting this, document the handler’s name.
- Elephants, horses, or camels should never be forced to give rides if they are showing signs of stiffness or other physical discomfort.
- No animal should perform if any signs of illness or discomfort are present.
REMINDER
Use your city and state animal cruelty laws whenever applicable.
If you observe problems with any of the aforementioned, contact the USDA and PETA IMMEDIATELY. Insist that the USDA send an inspector to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. PETA can track the circus' future destinations and alert animal control officers in each city.
Original site: http://www.circuses.com/checklist.asp
Quick Facts
In the wild, bears don’t ride bicycles, tigers don’t jump through fiery hoops, and elephants don’t stand upright on their hind legs. Circuses portray a distorted view of wildlife.
Laws protecting animals in traveling shows are inadequate and poorly enforced. The Animal Welfare Act establishes only minimum guidelines and even these meager standards are often ignored.
Animals used in circuses live a dismal life of domination, confinement, and violent training. It is standard practice to beat, shock, and whip them to make them perform ridiculous tricks that they cannot comprehend.
Most elephants used by circuses were captured in the wild. Once removed from their families and natural habitat, their lives consist of little more than chains and intimidation. Baby elephants born in breeding farms are torn from their mothers, tied with ropes, and kept in isolation until they learn to fear their trainers.
Big cats, bears, and primates are forced to eat, drink, sleep, defecate, and urinate in the same cramped cages.
Elephants often suffer crippling injuries from constant chaining and performing physically difficult tricks.
Children, who are naturally fond of animals, would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the circus if they knew of the suffering these animals endure for a fleeting moment of so- called amusement.
The circus deprives animals of their basic needs to exercise, roam, socialize, forage, and play. Stereotypic behaviors such as swaying back and forth, head-bobbing, pacing, bar-biting, and self-mutilation are common signs of mental distress.
Using dangerous animals in performances jeopardizes public safety and often puts children at greatest risk. Since 1990, 57 people have been killed and more than 120 seriously injured by captive elephants.
Animals in circuses are hauled around the country in poorly ventilated trailers and boxcars for up to 50 weeks a year in all kinds of extreme weather conditions. Access to the basic necessities of food, water, and veterinary care is often inadequate.
A growing number of cities are restricting or banning the use of animals in entertainment. More progressive circuses dazzle their audiences solely with skilled human performers.
Report on animal circuses:
report on a study of animal circuses : CIRCUSES CANNOT MEET THE NEEDS OF ANIMALS
Circus cruelty 27 June 2009 by Craig Redmond, Manchester, UK Magazine issue 2714. Subscribe and get 4 free issues. For similar stories, visit the Letters Topic Guide You report on a study of animal circuses by the University of Bristol, UK (23 May, p 5). The British government is still stalling over a pledge made t...hree years ago to stop wild animals appearing in circuses. This timely study shows why it must follow through on its commitment. It shouldn't really take a scientist to make it obvious that a travelling circus, by its very nature, cannot meet the needs of animals. The inconstant conditions, brought about by weekly relocation, mean that animals often don't have access to exercise or grazing and are confined to cages or small stalls. A few minutes in the ring will not provide sufficient enrichment, particularly if training is carried out with force or cruelty. UK circuses still use elephants, tigers, lions and even a red fox. A ban can't come soon enough for these animals. The same ethical objections apply to domesticated animals used for entertainment; they endure the same welfare and confinement problems as the non-domesticated species. The Captive Animals' Protection Society, working with other charities, is lobbying hard for the government to bring animal use in circuses to an end. In the meantime, we encourage people to visit only those shows that rely entirely on the skills of human performers. The Captive Animals' Protection Society Read More
Horrifying videos and links:
Methods used in training:
ANIMALS ARE NOT OURS FOR ENTERTAINMENT
http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=carson_barnes&Player=wm
websites and links for circuses in Egypt
http://jenakouta.wetpaint.com/
