Animals+Used+for+Entertainment


 * Dragotta, Jennifer. "Animals in Entertainment." Online posting. //Learning to Give//. n.d. Web. 16 Sep. 2010. []. **

"Animals in Entertainment" refers to any animal(s) used to act, perform, fight and/or kill for the enjoyment of humans. The term encompasses many different forms of entertainment – from circuses to movies to bullfighting. Most of the training occurs privately, making it easy for many to deny that cruelty to animals exists in the entertainment field. However, if one looks closely during the circus, for example, it is apparent how these animals are treated - performers threaten tigers with a whip and often hit elephants with metal rung on their legs. Animals have been and will continue to be used in entertainment, often to the detriment of the animals. While laws are helpful in banning and regulating certain practices, it is the demand for the entertainment that will always keep the business flourishing. American Humane’s role in protecting animals in movies, which began in the 1920’s, was not accepted easily and they were often forced off of movie sets with guns. In the late 1970’s the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) welcomed animal actors into their organization and now animals actors continue to be protected under SAG. A host of organizations in the United States and across the world came into being to prevent cruelty to animals. These organizations differ in their focus from companion animals, wild animals, performing animals, farmed animals, etc. Animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and this is not to be left to the compassionate impulses of humans, but is an entitlement that must be protected under the law. Tom Rider—Former Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus and Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus employee who was a whistleblower concerning the circus’ treatment of elephants. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is an international animal welfare organization. It is also the world's largest alliance of animal welfare groups, connecting over 889 independent animal welfare organizations (known as "Member Societies") in 153 countries to raise the standards of animal welfare around the world. Except for a few situations, most animals are taken out of their natural environment to perform acts not typically in their behavioral repertoire. Exotic animals used for entertainment, such as elephants, tigers, and dolphins, are taken from their respective habitats and may be starved, beaten or otherwise maltreated to become submissive to a trainer. Many of these animals are continually maltreated throughout their performance years in an effort to make them behave accordingly. Circuses today are just as popular. While they no longer include fights to the death, the inherent act of animals performing against their will and living in atypical conditions suggests cruelty. Bull fighting is a legal blood sport in Spain, Portugal and Latin America and is enormously popular. Like dog fighting and cockfighting, bull fighting has strong historical significance. While the rodeo is not a blood sport, there are numerous practices that inflict pain to the animals, including metal and electric cattle prods, tail twisting and calf roping. In response to the death of Eight Belles at the 2008 Kentucky Derby, ASPCA President Ed Sayres noted “the sport of horse racing is no different than other forms of entertainment where animals are forced to perform, oftentimes in stressful and inhumane conditions. These include being raced too young before reaching physical maturity, being raced excessively, being forced to run on hard or slippery surfaces or being injected with drugs to enhance performance.”