Scheiber 1

Ellie Scheiber
Mrs. Frederick
Expository
19 May 2015
Pick on Someone Your Own Size
For hundreds of years, people have been using animals as a form of entertainment. Most
people have been to zoos or circuses, but nobody thinks about what goes on behind the scenes.
Animal abuse is becoming increasingly common, and the only way to stop it is to stop the
industry as a whole. The use of animals for entertainment needs to be ceased because it is cruel,
the government is ignoring major issues, and things are being hidden from the public in order for
shows to take place.
One of few reasons people believe there are no problems in this industry is because of the
large amount of money being made by showing off these animals. Although there is a large
profit, the problems outweigh the benefits. Some say festivals, circuses, etc. are beneficial to the
public because there is an opportunity to learn about the animals intelligence (Payne). However,
people are not attending these activities to learn. People show up to the events simply to be
entertained (OConnor). There are ways to make money without harming animals in the process.
A huge issue within the entertainment businesses is the excessive amount of animal
cruelty. During Indias festival season, elephants are given little to no time off. The season lasts
for around six months and contains more than two hundred festivals. Because the animals live in
an environment separate from the one they were meant to live in, their behavior is also very
unnatural. The typical wild elephant in India is described as being social and nomadic, while
the elephants used in festivals are isolated and chained up for a majority of their lives (Romig).

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Along with that, evidence shows entertainment animals having poorer physical and mental
health. Some of these cases have even resulted in death, whether it is from the abuse or other
factors in the animals life. For example, newborn elephants that are in the custody of an
entertainment business are separated from their mothers very early on in their lives. This
separation causes anxiety for both animals, greatly endangering their health. Once separated, the
babies begin training for festivals. That training adds a lot of stress to an already stressful
situation (Perez-Pena). An elephant named Thechikottukavu Ramachandran was beaten so badly
for disobeying that he was blinded (Romig). It is absolutely ridiculous to expect an animal to
forget its natural instincts and do exactly what a human wants it to do 100% of the time. House
pets are not even expected to do that.
Although many cases similar to Ramachandrans have been reported, governments
around the world have little interference with the issues at hand. When there is involvement, the
rules and regulations are not always enforced. In China, tiger products are extremely popular, but
are, by law, illegal. However, the money made from these products is being used in a way the
government sees as beneficial, so the black market continues to exist without punishment. In
fact, the products are openly being used in business and even to bribe government officials. The
not-so-beneficial tiger farms are receiving most of the money raised in these sales. The
government believes the farms are helpful because their purpose is to increase the tiger
population. Officials are aware that the expenses that come with the responsibility of owning a
tiger are very high, and the illegal trade and selling of these products is the only way they know
of to keep the farms alive. Statistics show, however, that the tiger farms are doing more harm
than good. As the population of captive tigers increased dramatically from twenty to six
thousand, the wild population decreased from four thousand to fifty (Leavenworth). Holding

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these tigers against their will is doing absolutely nothing to benefit Chinas economy. The only
reason the animals are being kept is so they can be killed and sold as tiger-bone products. There
have even been cases where people were caught killing tigers to impress businessmen
(Leavenworth). Tigers are not the only animals being treated poorly, though. Each corner of the
globe has its own problems, and Spain is no exception. Bullfighting, a sport that is being banned
in many areas for its cruelty and for being an outdated form of entertainment, is also a huge
problem in todays world. This activity, said to be a symbol of Spanish cultural heritage that
shapes the national identity, is a well-known tradition (Worden). The government is protecting
this recreation because of its connection to the countrys heritage, despite popular belief that it
should be banned. An animal as massive as a bull is still an animal, and it should be treated no
differently than a small dog, which introduces another problem: dogfighting. A perfect example
is the 367 case.
In 2013, after a three-year investigation that included local police and the FBI,
more than 15 people were arrested, 367 dogs seized, $500,000 in cash, firearms,
and drugs were seized in Alabaman, Georgia, and Mississippi. It was the second
largest dogfighting bust in US history, known as the 367 case.
Three of the United States largest dogfighting cases have been within the past six years. One
would think that would draw attention to the problem, but the only animals the government has
laws to protect are farm animals, not pets. The officials are paying little attention to what is
actually going on. On the off chance that somebody is arrested for dogfighting, the courts do not
look at previous arrests for the same convictions. Even more surprising, there are absolutely no
sentencing requirements (Dearen). People are getting away with the cruelty every single day.

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Another reason people are getting away with animal cruelty is because it has become so
easy to hide from the public. In many areas, dog racing is very popular. After the racing season
ends, there is a time period where the dogs are kept at the track. From the time the season ends
until the date the dogs are required to be removed from the track, there are no rules regarding
kennel inspections. Because of the lack of inspections, thirty-seven greyhounds were found dead
from starvation. It was even said that dogs are treated as commodities by the industry and
sources of revenue by trainers who discard the animals when they are no longer able to race and
win (Kitzmiller). When new laws are made to protect animals from unfair treatment, their
owners will do whatever it takes to keep the show on the road. India has been passing laws to
protect elephants during the festival season, such as banning walking elephants through town
during the heat of the day and keeping no more than three elephants within temple walls at one
time. In order to make money, entertainment companies find it necessary to break the laws. A
man who works for one of these companies admitted to paying 50,000 rupees, equivalent to
$785.27, in bribes to keep his plans on track. The elephant used for that festival is rented for a
day at 65,000 rupees, just over $1,000. The profit is so small that these companies go door-todoor forcing citizens to give donations, whether it is money or product that the business owners
can sell. As if that was not bad enough, veterinarians have been caught lying about disease so the
elephants could still perform. The elephants have been known to retaliate to this bad treatment,
killing or injuring both trainers and innocent people. People are being killed by elephants for
other reasons, as well. Some entertainment companies have been working to breed elephants and
boost the population, which sounds like a really great idea. The success of these companies is
praised, but deforestation and increasing human population have created a much smaller space
for animals to live. The elephants have nowhere else to go and have been attacking as a result.

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There is a conflict between humans and elephants over who really owns the space. This has
increased the number of human deaths caused by elephants from 150 to 500 per years (Romig).
The use of animals as entertainment is causing more harm than good and needs to be
stopped. More and more people see the abuse reports and turn against the companies every day.
With the number of people who are interested in watching these incredible animals, one would
think the businesses would find ways to take care of them without abusing them. If the
government is not going to take action against the abuse, it is up to the citizens. People all over
the world need to start standing up for what is right.

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Works Cited
Dearen, Jason. Dogfighting Thrives in Years Since Vick Case. Florida Today. 22 Nov. 2014:
n. pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
Kitzmiller, Felicia. Ebro Greyhound Park Trying to Overcome. News Herald. 20 Feb. 2011: n.
pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
Leavenworth, Stuart. Chinas Tiger Parks Under Fire from Conservationists, Animal
McClatchy-Tribune News Service. 03 Apr. 2014: n. pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web.
17 Mar. 2015.
OConnor, Jennifer. Animals in Zoos Have Nothing to Celebrate. People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals. 22 Dec. 2014: n. pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Mar.
2015.
Payne, Stephen. PETA Wrong About Ringling Bros. Circus. McClatchy-Tribune News
Service. 29 May 2013: n. pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
Perez-Pena, Richard. Four-Footed Dancers to Retire from Ringling Brothers Stage. New York
Times. 06 Mar. 2015: A. 15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
Romig, Rollo. The Life of Celebrity Elephants. New York Times Magazine. 18 Aug. 2013: 32.
SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
Worden, Tom. Bullfighting Saved From the Sword as Spain Rules it Is an Artistic The
Guardian. 01 Aug. 2011: 17. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.