Did You Know This About Circuses?

[soblessed53]

http://www.circuses.com/bullhooks.asp

This is just sick,why does the SPCA allow this,I wonder?

 

[symphonyb]

I've never seen a circus,my parents were non circus goers.Barbaric stuff.

 

[FlatpickingJD]

If you do a search on the ASPCA's website, this is what you'll find:

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cruelty_circuses

 

[soblessed53]

If you do a search on the ASPCA's website, this is what you'll find:

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cruelty_circuses

Thank you for the link,but unfortunately, even though they are aware of all the cruelty,there is no mention made of any prosecution for laws being broken! I do not understand how animal acts can even still be part of any circus with the ASPCA knowing how the animals are treated!

 

[FlatpickingJD]

This whole issue upsets me too, and every time I hear about it I wish I could do something to stop the abuse. As for the ASPCA, it's pretty limited in what it, as an organization, can do. It's not government and the influence isn't quite so extensive as you might think. In my city, the ASPCA publicized this the last couple times the circus came to town, saying people shouldn't go to the circus b/c of things like this (and apparently most animals in circuses are poorly treated). It got some air time on the local TV news, as well as a news article below the fold, and animal control (a government agency) was interviewed but pretty much said that unless the trainers are caught actually hurting the elephants, there's not a lot they can do.

That's about as far as it went. Then, when the circus left town, the controversy "ended," at least so far as the media was concerned (kind of out of sight, out of mind logic) so nothing more was done or said about it. Sadly, the whole thing pretty much met with a metaphorical yawn. The ASPCA can only do so much, and in my area it did what it could (notified the media and animal control, and recommended a boycott which succeeded in lowering attendance slightly). But when the circus left the papers and TV stations didn't have much motivation to pursue the matter and, frankly, neither did animal control.

 

[Sabina41]

Flatpicking is right, the ASPCA and HSUS and PETA and almost all animal organizations are aware of what is going on, but they are not the government. Only animal control or otherwise governmentally impowered organizations can go in and arrest people for cruel acts. The ASPCA can lobby against it and publicize it but they have no real jurisdiction. So rather than complaining that the ASPCA isn't doing anything you should be writing your local elected officials and animal control and finding out why THEY aren't doing anything. They're the ones with the real power.

 

[bumblebee62331]

I have never been to a circus, never will. I can't justify paying (or not paying) to go and see animal cruelty. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[soblessed53]

I have never been to a circus, never will. I can't justify paying (or not paying) to go and see animal cruelty. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[soblessed53]

Flatpicking is right, the ASPCA and HSUS and PETA and almost all animal organizations are aware of what is going on, but they are not the government. Only animal control or otherwise governmentally impowered organizations can go in and arrest people for cruel acts. The ASPCA can lobby against it and publicize it but they have no real jurisdiction. So rather than complaining that the ASPCA isn't doing anything you should be writing your local elected officials and animal control and finding out why THEY aren't doing anything. They're the ones with the real power.

Guess I've been watching too many Animal cops on Animal Planet. I thought the ASPCA had more legal power to prosecute than that also to take the animals out of situations?

 

[Sabina41]

Guess I've been watching too many Animal cops on Animal Planet. I thought the ASPCA had more legal power to prosecute than that also to take the animals out of situations?

There is a difference between the ASPCA in New York City and other ASPCA offshoot groups. The original ASPCA was established in New York City and does in fact have full police powers (primarily the ability to arrest people, in other places animal rights groups must work with the police when someone needs to be arrested). So I suppose the if the circus was performing in NYC then the ASPCA might have more jurisdiction, but again, they can't arrest someone for pictures of something they did elsewhere. The ASPCA would have to actually observe these things happening in their jurisdiction. So there is some truth to the power of the ASPCA, but it is only the original group in NYC. Many other groups have added "ASPCA" to their names because of affiliation, but they do not have the same municipal agreements that the ASPCA has with NYC.

Having worked in a shelter for several years I can attest that while the many varied animal cops programs on Animal Planet are thrilling, they do not convey the time involved in the process of investigating and prosecuting a case. I enjoy the insight they give, but they make it seem as if a case goes immediately from complaint call, to visit to arrest. In most towns the process is extended and time-consuming, especially in small shelters and humane societies. You have to remember that these shows on Animal Planet are filmed in large cities (NYC, Houston, Detroit) and so the organizations they feature are well funded, well employed, well supported.....many smaller places can face outright opposition from town and county councilmen and the police (who they have to go to for arrests) themselves.

So yes, I wish all organizations have the same power that the ASPCA in NYC has but they don't. If we want to change local policies we have to appeal to the policy makers themselves, not the funding strapped organizations that are doing everything they can to better the lives of animals.

 

[soblessed53]

There is a difference between the ASPCA in New York City and other ASPCA offshoot groups. The original ASPCA was established in New York City and does in fact have full police powers (primarily the ability to arrest people, in other places animal rights groups must work with the police when someone needs to be arrested). So I suppose the if the circus was performing in NYC then the ASPCA might have more jurisdiction, but again, they can't arrest someone for pictures of something they did elsewhere. The ASPCA would have to actually observe these things happening in their jurisdiction. So there is some truth to the power of the ASPCA, but it is only the original group in NYC. Many other groups have added "ASPCA" to their names because of affiliation, but they do not have the same municipal agreements that the ASPCA has with NYC.

Having worked in a shelter for several years I can attest that while the many varied animal cops programs on Animal Planet are thrilling, they do not convey the time involved in the process of investigating and prosecuting a case. I enjoy the insight they give, but they make it seem as if a case goes immediately from complaint call, to visit to arrest. In most towns the process is extended and time-consuming, especially in small shelters and humane societies. You have to remember that these shows on Animal Planet are filmed in large cities (NYC, Houston, Detroit) and so the organizations they feature are well funded, well employed, well supported.....many smaller places can face outright opposition from town and county councilmen and the police (who they have to go to for arrests) themselves.

So yes, I wish all organizations have the same power that the ASPCA in NYC has but they don't. If we want to change local policies we have to appeal to the policy makers themselves, not the funding strapped organizations that are doing everything they can to better the lives of animals.

That makes no sense when the elephants ears and other places are all scarred from the bullhooks,I'm sure they often are in poor nutritional health as well. Seems to me the ASPCA is pretty much useless then, if they cannot do a thing unless they actually catch the abuse happening at the moment!

 

[Zoomer]

I don't find it fun to watch animals that are force to perform. I have never been to a circus and will never go to one.

 

[soblessed53]

I don't find it fun to watch animals that are force to perform. I have never been to a circus and will never go to one.

Yeah, and I never found clowns to be funny,they creep me out! I was taken to a circus once as a child,but never chose to go as an adult.

 

[littlecoda]

I'm with you!

I've never seen a circus,my parents were non circus goers.Barbaric stuff.