The shadows are their home and the lights are their ruin. The shackles in their feet and the hand with a whip are meant to teach them a lesson. They must learn many lessons before the lights, the cheers, and the audience's enthusiasm lets the shows begin. Here they come, sometimes in four paws and sometimes with two struggling legs, embracing the lessons they've learned before more pain comes their way. They: the elephants, tigers, ponies, chimpanzees, baboons, and even lions, are the creatures suffering from the exploit of circuses. Circuses animals are proof the obscure truth behind the way the entertainment industry of the circus mistreats their animals to amuse the audience. Most of the animals circuses so proudly display to their audiences are wild creatures that are in need of a space that portrays their natural environment. Unfortunately, animals must endure a life without a proper diet, a lack of space to exercise, uncontrolled temperatures, and even isolation from other animals (Brady). Although circus owners may insist that their animals are treated like family, their actions show they are treated as abused property used to gain profit. Due to the reported abuse and unfit environment, animals should be banned from performing in circuses to prevent animal exploitation and attacks on the audience. .
Teaching a creature that uses their instinct to kill their prey or survive in nature tA bullhook is a tool used to "train" animals to perform the tricks that amuse the audience, but it is in reality used a torture instrument to punish the circus animals when they disobey or refuse to perform tricks. Ringling Bros. had to pay a $270,000 fine for the violations in the Animal Welfare Act when a leaked video showed had the trainers abused an elephant with a bull hook (Merrit). As a matter of fact, it was an employee of the circus that recorded the abusive scene and decided to stand up against the horror of the entertainment industry.
