The Truth Behind The Trick | Teen Ink

The Truth Behind The Trick

March 21, 2013
By Xykron BRONZE, Wyckoff, New Jersey
Xykron BRONZE, Wyckoff, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Don’t you just love the circus? Filled with mini cars that can fit over 10 clowns in it, and people who walk on tightropes, and animals doing tricks? And it always seems to amaze you how they get the animals to do the tricks. And while you can ask any ringmaster that question, they will never tell you the truth. All the animals trained at most circus’s are beaten, isolated, and basically tortured from when they were babies.

How would you like to be stuck in a cage for the rest of your life? Most elephants that are used in any circus are chained from birth for about 23 hours a day(not including show days). In fact, most of the animals that are used are chained in their cages and eat, sleep, pee, and poop, all in the same spot! The only times they are out and about, is when they are being “trained” or being forced to do a show with their torturer, I mean trainer. Because they are stuck there, most of them don’t even get veterinary help when they are sick. Imagine being sick, and have everyone around you know you’re sick, and not have them help you? That does NOT sound like the life anyone would like to have.

Pain. Nobody likes it, so why should the animals have to? The “training” sessions involve the trainers using electric rods, bullhooks, and ropes to painfully get the elephant, or any animal, into position. Imagine if you were tied in a position you were never really meant to go? All you feel is pain and fear as they beat you with electric rods and stab you with sharp hooks. “During the training session, the baby is screaming and struggling the whole time” Sam Haddock. And through all the pain and fear you feel, you sense one thing in the deepest part of your mind, Anger...

Some may argue that this only happens to just a few circus’s or that they do it for little kids so that justifies it. Now, even though there is a lot of abuse, it does not happen in every single circus, it happens a lot, but not all of them mistreat the animals. However, there are way too many circuses that do this without punishment. People don’t realize it’s happening and so the word never gets out so people can make a difference. And even some of the biggest circuses like the Ringling Bros. still do this. The fact of the matter is, animals shouldn’t be beaten and tortured for a child’s entertainment. That is just plainly and utterly, wrong.

Finally, the day comes when the animals has so much anger that they just.....SNAP! “In 1994, an elephant named Tyke killed her trainer and injured twelve spectators before being gunned down while running terrified through downtown Honolulu (she was shot almost 100 times)”- Peta.This isn’t the only time this has happened though. In 1992, police officer Blyne Doyle was forced to shoot Janet, an elephant that was running through town with five children on her back. There have been more than 35 times that this incident has occurred since 2000. You would think that someone would put two and two together and realize the circuses were beating the animals into submission.

Animals in the circus are just not right. Until people can live with the fact that animals can’t do everything that you want them to, they shouldn’t be allowed to be in the circus. The circus owners don’t care about the animals, they just want profit for their misery. To learn more go to www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/circuses.aspx. Don’t let these animals suffer anymore, stand up and do what’s right.

Works Cited
"Redirect Notice." Redirect Notice. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2013. <http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.aspca.org/aspcakids/real-issues/animal-abuse-in-circuses.aspx>.
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"Redirect Notice." Redirect Notice. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2013. <http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-circus-animal-abuse>.
WebsiteCommentsLinkTagsParentheticalEditDelete
"Redirect Notice." Redirect Notice. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2013. <http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/circuses.aspx>.
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The author's comments:
Something I had to do for school. A persuasive essay. Hope you enjoy!

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