Say No To Animal Entertainment
Animals are used as a form of entertainment, and some people think it’s actually okay to do that. Why? Because they trick themselves into thinking an animal is having fun when performing stunts.
How much different is that from slavery? And can we look at it, similarly?
The Circus
A circus may seem like a happy, innocent show on the front-end. You see horses, elephants, giraffes, and even lions performing astonishing stunts. But have you once stopped to think about how circuses achieve that?
The truth is harsh, and it involves violence.
Lions are whipped into submission to obey human commands, while elephants are beaten with bullhooks and forced to learn tricks.
When not training, they’re stuck into small cages where they’re forced to live motionlessly until the next training session or show comes around. While they’re transported, they’re jammed into filthy and poor ventilated trailers for several days.
In all honesty, this feels pretty much like slavery to me.
Bullfighting Contests
I can’t wrap my head around bullfighting.
Why is it that such a primitive “sport” exists? What’s so manly about stabbing a bull with banderillas, and inflicting it with deep wounds? If there’s something that soils my pride as a Portuguese, it’s certainly the Portuguese Bullfights. After the bull is shaken from blood loss, eight “forcados” torment the bull by attempting to grab it by its horns.
When they’re done with the bull, they carry it outside the arena and kill it. Bullfighting is not yet banned in Portugal, but there’s an ongoing debate about it. In the neighboring country Spain, bullfighting was banned in 100 cities.
If you want to ban these practices, and you’re a citizen in one of these countries… be sure to sign the petitions to ban bullfighting. Other than that, be sure to spread the word about how horrid these antique sports are.
Zoos and Other Forms Of Animal-Display
Animals in zoos eventually suffer from stress, depression, and display stereotyped behaviors. This happens because they’re forced to live in an unnatural environment, where they are bored and lonely as a result. A gorilla named Jabari once tried to jump over the walls of his enclosure, just to end up shot dead by the police. It wasn’t until later that a witness confessed seeing teenagers throwing rocks at Jabari.
When animals are forced to live cloistered in a big cage, they can’t adapt, and so they try to escape. You can’t expect a wild animal to be domesticated and adapt to an environment that isn’t his own. Elephants usually walk 30 miles per day, but instead, humans force them to live in limited spaces where they witness their existence flash through their eyes.
Traveling zoos are even more despicable. Animals are crammed in transportation for hours and are forced to a constant change of environment while dealing with insensitive strangers begging for their attention. They’re used purely for business, and for the sake of human entertainment. And the same can be said about Safaris or any other form of animal display.
We should allow animals to live in their natural habitat, where they belong — and allow nature to decide their course.
What’s The Takeaway?
Whenever you’re in doubt about something you should or shouldn’t do, put yourself in other’s shoes (including animals). Only when you compassionately think about others and leave your ego aside, can you look beyond what’s convenient.
I’ve been a vegan for more than 3 years, and I’ve done it mostly because of animal suffering.
For me, it didn’t make sense to eat animals and love them at the same time. Adopting a vegan lifestyle just made sense… because I found it to be inherently attached to my nature as a human being.
You might not feel the same, and your reasons to start may be different… but I still want to thank you for at least pondering about this endeavor. Not everyone is willing to do it, but for those who are, I believe we can create a massive impact!
Stay vegan, stay you!
