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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to see the return of elephants to The Great British circus?

104 replies

salsmum · 28/02/2009 13:31

When I was younger I loved to see the animals in the circus, my favourite being the Elephants. My son has worked for a Circus and we went along to see The Great British Circus and we got chatting to one of the Lion tamers who spoke with great love and compassion about his lions but said its a shame that he cannot work with them in U.K. because of the Animals rights activists who pickett the circuses. 3 of his family dogs were poisoned by some of the picketts and he was almost crying when he said how much he missed them [the dogs].
I love animals and I know there are some bad circuses out there but really know that these workers look after their animals and just wondered if MNs would still go to a circus if the Elephants return just to see these beautiful animals?

OP posts:
Thunderduck · 28/02/2009 13:34

YABU. A circus is no place for wild animals. I'd never go to see a circus that makes use of elephants and lions.

TsarChasm · 28/02/2009 13:38

I can remember going to a circus years ago when I was little.

But no I, sorry, looking back, I just can't see the attraction of performing animals. At best it seems to take advantage of their trust and at worst..well the worst cases can be truly awful

I think it would actually put me off going now. I'm not sorry it's been stopped.

Disenchanted3 · 28/02/2009 13:38

You would really want to see an elephant constantly ferried around in a lorry, cramped, caged and no freedom at all?

Just or your enjoyment and entertainment?

Go to a zoo, yes they are caged, but on large spacious environments often mimicing their natural homes. Zoos are very good these days in keeping animals happy and healthy.

Or even better go and see them in their REAL environment.

You would enjoy it alot more than looking at a sad, lonely animal kept in unsuitable circumstances

Meglet · 28/02/2009 13:39

YABU. I wouldn't go to a circus with wild animals, very very wrong indeed .

do you work for the great british circus or something

Disenchanted3 · 28/02/2009 13:39

YABVVVVVU BTW.

hatwoman · 28/02/2009 13:43

no. when I want to see wild animals I go to a good zoo, where I can see them in an environment that mimics their natural one, where I know that the aims are to educate visitors, contribute to research, conserve the same breeds in the wild. and where I know that staff are highly educated about all this and devoted. I don't want to see them in an environment where the primary purpose is to entertain. I am totally sure that many people in circus environments adore their animals and care for them but I do not think they can really provide them with what they need. nor do they do the other stuff I mentioned

stocious · 28/02/2009 14:27

what about some dancing bears too?

RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 28/02/2009 14:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 28/02/2009 14:43

YABVU.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 28/02/2009 14:45

Three of his dogs were poisoned by animal rights campaigners?
No, of course I wouldn't go to see a circus with caged animals in it. I wouldn't go to see bullfighting either or bearbaiting. Are you completely mad?

taipo · 28/02/2009 14:50

YABU

We live abroad and virtually all the circuses here still use wild animals. There's one that sets up camp near us and the animals are kept locked up for most of the day in tiny cages.

I don't feel strongly enough about it to go and picket but I definitely wouldn't go and pay to see animals being abused.

I've never seen the attraction of performing animals anyway.

edam · 28/02/2009 14:51

No, of course I don't want to see wild animals caged, shoved from pillar to post and only let out to 'perform' stupid tricks that they have been taught by very dubious methods.

christiana · 28/02/2009 14:51

Message withdrawn

newpup · 28/02/2009 15:01

YABU

Animals should be free, living in the wild in their natural habitat. Zoos do a magnificent job of breeding endangered animals. You can see wild animals there.

I went to the circus in half term, there were no wild animals (or any animals) and it was fantastic fun. I would never pay to see animals imprisoned and forced to work out their days in an unnatural environment.

mm22bys · 28/02/2009 15:04

YABU.

Wild animals performing should be banned, as should traditional zoos where the animals are confined to tiny cages.

It is so cruel.

What really disturbed from the news report last night was the reported number of people attending - 54.

How could the circus pay any staff with that few in the audience, let alone provide any semi-reasonable standard of animal welfare?

Animals in zoos, along with bearded ladies, belong in the 19th century, not the 21st.

mm22bys · 28/02/2009 15:06

Aaaagggghhh I should have previewed.

Should read, of course:

Animals in circuses, along with bearded ladies, belong in the 19th century, not the 21st.

thirtysomething · 28/02/2009 15:09

YABVU. It is wrong to justify subjecting wild animals from hot climates to any sort of captivity, no matter how well they are treated, in the name of entertainment FFS!!!! I don't care if they get the elephant equivalent of champagne and caviar every meal whilst in captivity, that still doesn't make it not cruel to humiliate and exploit them in this way. What century are we in again?

muggglewump · 28/02/2009 15:13

I went to a Circus with DD a few years back and didn't really look to see if there were animals or not when I booked the tickets.
Anyway, it turns out there was and I've just googled it and found this
I'm still not convinced that any animal belongs in a circus but it would appear that the elephant is fine.
All it did at the show we were at was stand in the ring at the interval so you could have a photo taken with it.
The other animals were gorses and Shetland ponies.

It seems wrong, but then not being an animal expert I don't really know.

thirtysomething · 28/02/2009 15:13

I wholeheartedly second Christiana about zoos. I would never take my kids to a zoo or a safari park and i don't count them as deprived. As others have said, you can see them on TV or in books, there is no compulsion to see them in the flesh in this country which isn't their natural environment.

muggglewump · 28/02/2009 15:14

And gorses are very like horses.

MinnieMummy · 28/02/2009 15:15

YABU to put your entertainment ahead of the animals' welfare.

YANBU to find the thought of seeing elephants exciting; they are majestic animals.

However seeing them in a circus then the two issues clash, with the elephants' welfare obviously taking priority = YABU.

Would you really enjoy going to the circus knowing that however 'well' they may be treated, especially in the context of a circus??

(Also, just because the lion tamer cried about his dogs doesn't automatically mean he is an authority on how well wild animals are kept.)

Is this for real??

FrannyandZooey · 28/02/2009 15:18

yes YABU

Themasterandmargaritas · 28/02/2009 15:35

I am shouting troll for the first time in my MN life, because I can not believe for one minute you are being serious.

I wholeheartedly echo Christiana's post. Two weeks ago we stayed in a house with it's own waterhole, where the elephants would come to drink in the evening, not 500m from us. It was mesmerising to watch their social interaction and listen to them communicating with each other, in their natural environment. These beasts are incredibly intelligent animals and it would be a great injustice to see them cooped in pens and moved around, for entertainment.

knockedgymnast · 28/02/2009 15:49

you sound like your an elephant short of a circus!!

willowthewispa · 28/02/2009 15:53

Firstly, of course YABU. I would not go to a circus that used Elephants.

Secondly, why on earth would people who care enough about animal welfare to go and picket a circus poison dogs? Sounds like rubbish to me.