Patronize circuses that are animal-free, Circus animals do not perform to please their trainer. They work from fear only after having their spirits broken.
Most circus animals have been brutalized and perform because their food, water, rest (or all three) have been withheld. Some performing animals are only fed after a satisfactory performance.
In order to force animals to perform stressful acts (like jumping through fire), trainers use whips, muzzles, electric prods, and bullhooks. In nature, these animals would be free to walk and run, choose lifetime companions, and raise their families. The circus forces the animals to perform confusing acts night after night for 48 to 50 weeks every year. Between acts, elephants are kept chained, and bears and tigers are "stored" in cages barely large enough for them to turn around in.
Elephants are routinely shackled, deprived of water and beaten with bullhooks, after which they will allow someone to sit on their heads, or submit to waltzing on their hind legs.
When tigers aren't confined in small cages, they're chained to their pedestals. Ropes are put around their necks to choke them into learning tricks. Tigers leap though hoops of fire to avoid being punished should they fail to please their trainers.
Elephants, big cats and other "exotics" belong in their homelands, not under the bright lights of a circus ring for commercial entertainment. Monkeys never get to climb trees or stay in a troop and bears never have the comfort of a den, wild animals deprived of their natural environment and living in cages in the circus.
Still nursing baby animals are taken away from their mothers before they are weaned causing trauma, harm, loneliness and even death. Training animals start at a very young age.
Dressing animals in costumes and forcing them to perform tricks robs them of their dignity and the respect they deserve. Wild animals don't do headstands or jump through fire because they enjoy it; they do it out of fear of punishment.
We have to stop teaching our kids that they should applaud this kind of animal slavery, abusive confinement and training, and hideous exploitation. People think that circuses are fun. But they don’t think about what these poor animals have to endure for their entertainment.
Tyke, was the circus elephant who courageously rebelled on television worldwide back in August of 1994. She first killed her trainer, trampled a groomer and then ran rampant in the streets of Honolulu before she was finally gunned down by 87 bullets. She lay bleeding, agonizing and crying in the street for two more hours, until she finally died.
As some may already know and some may not, Tyke Catalyzed the founding of the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, as well as several other animal advocate institutions. She inspired California Congressman Sam Farr to write up legislation to protect elephants from circuses. She has inspired many localities to ban circuses with elephant acts. She has also touched many individuals as well - one man wears a tattoo of Tyke as a conversation piece to educate others; some have made Tyke T-shirts, and so on.
If someone were to ask Riddle (or his people) about Tyke, he will say that Tyke deserved what she got. Some say she knew what she was in for; it was kind of like Thelma and Louise – She was going to go all the way! No turning back! She was so brave!
See the video !!! ( Additional footage of elephant abuse after Tyke is killed. )
