Animals in circuses. Animal cruelty?

[Havoc]

First of all, don't use PETA as your source. They kill more animals then they save so I dunno why anyone still supports them.

Secondly I think it depends on the kind of circus the animal is at. Some animals who don't know any better like to perform and can be seen being bored and having the urge to perform when they havn't done so for a while.
I have worked at a facility that houses tigers and lions that, among other places, came from circuses and were given a nice retirement instead of being killed or whatever. Whenever we got new animals, you'd see traces of habit and boredom in the animals. I remember a certain tiger we had one day that spent certain hours of the day doing tricks in his cage. He would jump from log to log, back and forth, for about 15 minutes and after that he'd get on his hind legs and walk a few steps forward. He did all this all on his own without any provocation, except for me watching outside the cage. In a way I could see how he was happy after he did those things, he'd go to a corner and sleep with a content expression on his face. This specific tiger was 14 years old when he came with us and had been with the circus all his life.

Animals in circuses is not automatically animal cruelty. It's a case by case basis.

[Unorthodox]

I'm probably not in the best frame of mind to comment on this thread (just came back from a night out) but here I go anyways...

I agree with Havoc. I'm a proud vegetarian and have been for over 2 years now and I'm against all forms of animal cruelty. As such I would never eat/consume/purchase/be involved with a product that was produced as the direct result of suffering of an animal (including battery hen eggs etc). It may seem a little strange but I see it as we all contribute something to the world to make it go around, if a cow gives it's milk or an animal does tricks in return for being treated well and provided with good living conditions, then as far as I'm concerned that's great.

Granted an animal can't speak for it self and decide, but provided decent living conditions are provided I see little wrong in it. It's animal CRUELTY I'm against not training animals fairly or keeping a dog as a pet. As Havoc said, it's a case by case basis.

But I can't force my views on anyone as they are just that, views; no more different than a religious person adament that god exsists. No matter how right I think I am there will always be someone that will disagree with me.

[Strike Witch]

My answer:

Meat tastes gooood.