Ethical questions, Detention That Ignores Physiological Needs

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Ethical Questions

It is obvious that these animals are in peril. So obvious, in fact, that many children are naturally unsettled by seeing them. As such, it seems incredible that in the 21st century this debate is still raging on. How is it possible to foster love in animals when they are permanently confined to an enclosure just 32-43 square feet in size? And not allowed to engage in their most basic behaviors due to the unnatural postures imposed on them?

How can we speak of protection when these spectacles make the objectification of animals commonplace, and none will ever be set free? How can we claim to be educating our children when we show them animals that have been torn away from their natural environment and forced to engage in atypical behavior?

Violence

In the ring, animals are presented from the perspective of their submission to man. The felines face off with a tamer that cracks his whip to create a spectacle designed to show his mastery over the "savage" animals, while the elephant is made to docilely kneel to his command. Each act is intended to show man's supremacy over beast in the most ridiculous acts: bears on bicycles, elephants doing handstands, monkeys wearing tutus.

Tiger -Diana Moreno Bormann Circus

Violence is used to coerce the animals into performing, and the ankus (elephant goad) and the whip used in training sessions are just brutal accessories. In order to cover up these coercive practices, circus workers increasingly use the term "educator" instead of "trainer."

Anthropomorphism and Anthropocentrism

Four brown bears in a jeep - Dietzel, 2005

The circus is the epitome of anthropomorphism: The animals are forced to take on human attributes (dresses, tutus, cigarettes, glasses, etc.), human positions (sitting, standing, etc.), and human actions (marching, clapping, etc.), all while being subjected to crushing human dominance.
This paradox shows just how much animals are objectified rather than allowed to show their true nature.

We do not introduce animals, but rather disguise, subjugate, and transform them into "circus animals," as if this were a special species!

Detention That Ignores Physiological Needs

Every animal needs to develop the range of behaviors specific to its species, including social, antagonistic, maternal, feeding, sexual, locomotor, and territorial behaviors.

The behaviors of a given species indicate its level of well-being, and its behaviors are dictated by whether or not its living conditions are appropriate to that species. "Animals exhibit well-being by behaving in accordance with their species' behavior. Conversely, ill-being can be observed through the absence of these behaviors. (2) "

Their activities (and the time allowed for these activities), such as grooming, social interaction, territorial marking, movement (running, jumping), exploring, scratching the ground, rolling in the dirt and dust, resting, etc. are key indications of an animal's well-being.

Man-made enclosures such as are used in circuses inhibit animals from manifesting their innate behaviors. Forming social groupings is often the most difficult because of the absence of fellow species, lack of space, physical restraints, and stress.

Lions - Roger Lanzac circus

The transitory nature of circuses, i.e., their continual movement from place to place, can also have "extremely harmful consequences (3) ":

• Stress can be caused by fear, especially during transport and unloading.

• Perpetually relocating animals does not allow them to establish a "hunting ground," which leaves them with a sense of uncertainty.

The surroundings constantly change, notably the climate, temperature, smells, and all other environmental parameters.

July 29, 2007 - Brittany: Indra the elephant falls 33 feet (10 meters) off the RN12

Around 9:00 a.m. on the Brest-Rennes highway, a 38 ton truck and an 11 ton semi-trailer, with Indra inside, went off the road and fell 33 feet (10 meters).

We can easily imagine the panic and violent impact suffered by the pachyderm, who was not secured with a safety harness. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the hospital, while Indra was lifted through the roof of the truck, then transferred to another truck in order to rush her to Plouaret, where the circus was being held.

July 24, 2007 - Saint-Quay-Portrieux, Côte d'Armor - Truck flips with wildcats inside

After having problems with an axle, a Pinder Circus truck flipped with two lionesses (Zully and Ruffy) and one lion (Patcha) on board. According to Le Télégramme , a Brittany newspaper, the three cats could no longer appear in public due to their age.

Wild animals are far less adaptable than domestic animals because of the ever-changing environmental factors (physical, biological, and social). "Depriving animals of certain environmental elements triggers a state of suffering. (4) "

The detention systems used generally deprive animals of stimulation and ultimately lead to physical apathy (depression, passivity, and submission) as well as abnormal and even neurotic behavior. (5)

Stereotypies, or "repetition of the same acts over and over, with little variation and without any apparent reason or purpose, (6) " are one manifestation of these abnormal behaviors.

Stereotypies are aimed at compensating for

The absence of outside stimuli (rare in captivity)
The inability to establish a flight distance when facing outside threats (constantly changing environment, sights, smells, sounds, vibrations, etc.)
The inability to stalk, attack, and capture prey
The inability to respond with fight or flight

The inability to access an area, an object, an individual of the same species

Lioness - Anthony Zavatta circus

Stereotypies, whether they are ambulatory (primarily in cats) or characterized by constant swaying of the head (elephants, bears, etc.), are "manifestations of the failure to successfully adapt to an environment, but can help set new standards for adequate long-term dwelling environments for the animal. (7) " They are "indications of chronic ill-being (8) " and even "glaring signs of an animal's chronic suffering and failing health. (9) "

Other behavioral problems such as excessive licking (primates), mothers rejecting offspring after giving birth (cats), and self-mutilation are also observed.

In order to address these abnormal behaviors, zoos have developed the concept of environmental enhancement with the goal of "improving the animal's physical, social, and psychological environment. (10) " Enhancements include improving enclosures and cages, modifying available space in a way that fosters the animal's curiosity, stimulating the search for food, etc.

Macaque chained up and toothless - Jeanne Fratellini Circus (photo Vpsj)

Despite these efforts, improving the physical aspects of confinement areas does not compensate for the artificial nature of the space. Therefore, "the significant improvement of the bears' enclosure and food at the Zurich Zoo, in particular, has had no effect on their behavior. (11) "

Such modifications are impossible for circus animals because of the nature of the circus (moving from place to place, limited space, changing environment, etc.). Zoologists at the Vienna Zoo have concluded frankly that "circuses cannot provide the specific environments required by each animal species. (12) "

2 SCHWAMMER, Dr. Harald, PECHLANER, Dr. Helmut, GSANDTER, Hermann, Dr. BUCHLKRAMMERSTATTER, Guidelines for keeping of wild animals in circuses , Vienna 1996.

3 Ibid.

4 VAN ROOJEN, "Impoverished environments and welfare" in Applied Animal Behaviour Science 12, 1984, p.3-13.

5 SCHWAMMER, Dr. Harald, PECHLANER, Dr. Helmut, GSANDTER, Hermann, Dr. BUCHLKRAMMERSTATTER, Guidelines for keeping of wild animals in circuses , Vienna 1996.

6 ZECCHINI Alain, "Les animaux sauvages peuvent-ils rester 'naturels' ?" in Le Courrier de l'environnement , No. 46, INRA. June 2002.

7 McBRIDE, GLEN & CRAIG, J.V., "Environmental design and its evaluation for intensively housed animals" in Bresard, B., 1985.

8 HANNIER, I., in Le point vétérinaire , Vol. 26, No.165, February 1995.

9 WEMELSFELDER, F., "The concept of animal boredom and its relationship to stereotyped behaviour" in Lawrence, A.B., & Rushen, J. (Eds). Stereotypic Animal Behaviour. Fundamentals and Applications to Welfare . CAB International, U.K.,1993.

10 ZECCHINI, Alain, "Les animaux sauvages peuvent-ils rester 'naturels' ?" in Le Courrier de l'environnement , No. 46, INRA. June 2002.

11 FISCHBACHER, M., SCHMID, H., 1999. "Feeding Enrichment and Stereotypic Behavior in Spectacled Bears." Zoo Biology , 18, 363-371.

12 SCHWAMMER, Dr. Harald, PECHLANER, Dr. Helmut, GSANDTER, Hermann, Dr. BUCHLKRAMMERSTATTER, Guidelines for keeping of wild animals in circuses , Vienna 1996.

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History>>

3 Types of circuses >>

An Inventory (2006 - 2008) >>

Ethical questions >>

Detention That Ignores Physiological Needs >>

Coercive Training That Goes Against Nature >>

Comparative Analysis of Selected Species >>

Legislation >>

Response >>

Joint proposal >>