The Suffering of Animals in the Entertainment Industry
Many majestic animals that live on our planet are subject to extinction if we do not create change. Elephants, tigers, rhinos, primates, the list is extensive. Unfortunately, we all know about the plight of the African and Asian Elephants due to poaching for their tusks. But many of us don't know about the tourism industry and how we may be contributing to the abuse and ultimate extinction of these magnificent animals.
Most humans have been to circuses where exotic animals perform elaborate tricks for the enjoyment and entertainment of a roaring crowd. We have also visited many zoos to see wild animals close up that we would not ever get a chance to see in their natural habitats. We even have bucket lists that include riding elephants, holding tigers, feeding monkeys, and taking selfies with sea mammals. But what most of us do not know is how these animals were captured from the wild, the training methods that were used to first break their spirits then to make them perform, the drugs that are often used to render them submissive, withholding of food as punishment and inadequate shelters that do not allow for natural movement or protection from the elements.
But how could we know this? This part of the industry is kept secretive and is never shown to the public. Why? Because it is wrong. These animals are WILD. Unlike domesticated animals such as dogs and cats, they cannot be trained unless they have been subjected to horrific abuse. Only then, out of fear, they subject to the human’s dominance over them. They were born to be free not kept in cages or on chains. They are not here for human entertainment, standing on one foot, juggling balls, hula hooping, riding bicycles, jumping through fire hoops as a frenzied crowd looks on.
So what exactly goes on behind the scene? The Humane Society of the United States has monitored circuses for many years, documenting training methods and living conditions. Circus training methods include beating animals with clubs and other objects and depriving them of food. Sometimes elephants are beaten with a sharpened hook called a bullhook which can result in physical injury and even blindness if they are struck in the eyes. But why would they resort to these methods? They do this to maintain a position of dominance and to make the animals fear them.
Baby elephant being tortured to ensure submission.
When the animals are finished performing, they are locked in small cages and shipped to the next town. They spend much of their lives in these dirty cages barely able to stand up or turn around. In addition, these trucks or railway cars they are being shipped in often do not have heat or air conditioning with no access to food or water.
In Asia and India, the Asian Elephants used for tourism, whether it be performing in the streets, taking visitors for rides or treks, are subjected to horrible abuses to prepare them for the industry. First they are taken from their mothers in the wild as babies, then entrapped in a small confine and abused with bullhooks and bamboo sticks spiked with nails. They are also starved and deprived of sleep to crush their spirits and become submissive to humans. This Phajaan or crush method can last for weeks to months.
Phajaan being used to break the baby elephant's spirit in Thailand.
Elephants are social animals that have a special need for family and friends. When they are taken from the wild, they often are placed in solitary confinement, often for the rest of their lives. The babies are chained to mothers during the treks and have to keep pace with the mom as she walks. They cannot stop to rest or nurse, and are often prodded with the bullhook to keep them moving. When the animals are not working, they are chained, often to concrete floors and are not given sufficient amounts of food or water. Visitors often witness swaying of the elephants when visiting the trekking camps which indicates serious psychological stress.
The sad reality of all of this is that these majestic creatures are being subjected to lifetimes of slavery and abuse all for the sake of human entertainment. So as long as people seek out this type of entertainment and are willing to pay for it, the abuse will continue.
We cannot make a difference in their lives unless we commit to NEVER seek out this type of entertainment. Instead, visit them in their natural habitats and support ecotourism that focuses on animal welfare and conservation. Share these stories with everyone you know and everyone you don't know. Change starts with knowledge, and knowledge is power.
