Ringling Brothers!

[Sundae]

I do think it is cruel to show big cats in a circus ring.
No matter how well the animals are treated they have to suffer from the life of constant change and appearing in front of noisy crowds on a regular basis.

My cat is fully domesticated from centuries of being kept as a pet and I still feel rotten that my personal circumstances have meant he's been dragged from pillar to post this last year. I take comfort in the fact that we do have a genuine bond (again, due to the fact he's fully domesticated) and I think he knows he's safe with me.

I don't judge anyone else, and so I don't campaign against animals in circuses. But I absolve myself by not going to see any circuses with animals in them. Luckily this is the trend in the UK now.

[Pico and ME]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

I do think it is cruel to show big cats in a circus ring.
No matter how well the animals are treated they have to suffer from the life of constant change and appearing in front of noisy crowds on a regular basis.

My cat is fully domesticated from centuries of being kept as a pet and I still feel rotten that my personal circumstances have meant he's been dragged from pillar to post this last year. I take comfort in the fact that we do have a genuine bond (again, due to the fact he's fully domesticated) and I think he knows he's safe with me.

I don't judge anyone else, and so I don't campaign against animals in circuses. But I absolve myself by not going to see any circuses with animals in them. Luckily this is the trend in the UK now.

I went to the zoo recently, about a month ago. I enjoyed it and took lots of pictures, but I also felt an underlying unease and struggled with a few conflicting feelings. I love being able to see animals up close but I also feel sorry for them because they live a 'caged' and limited life. Most of them do not know any better because they have lived their whole life in captivity, but I still feel uncomfortable with the notion that its our 'right' as a species to treat animals this way. I realized that I was contributing to this 'arrogance' by being there with my camera, but I also acknowledged the fatalism of the whole situation....as long as there are animals for humans to catch, there will be zoos to see them in. :shrug:

SG, I think Im going to emulate your approach and just not go anymore.