Animals in circuses. Animal cruelty?

Matriar · #1 02-21-2008, 03:45 PM

http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs....pose&chgpref=1

Okay, after that I'll try to stop making thread about animals rights here on the Oddworldforums.

By the way, that is not supposed to be an advertising about PETA at all!
But it's brought to you by them. And I think that these videos don't look like a fake to me.

Okay so:
Force animals do things they wouldn't do in nature, for money. Treat them the way they don't deserve behind the scenes. Make fear and pain become the ways they'll obey you and your commands.

Entertaining?

Discuss!

DarkHoodness · #2 02-21-2008, 04:50 PM

Well we don't need PETA to tell us that Animal Circuses are wrong. :P I'll be short with this: It's just another human exploit in the end, IMO. Some circuses claim that by keeping rare animals in captivity, they're keeping some species alive, and that they educate people about animals, but I call bullshit on this. That's what Zoos are for, and most respectable Zoos (even though some Zoos don't treat thier animals as they should either, but that's a different discussion) don't force thier animals to perform tricks that the animals normally wouldn't do without harsh training.

The bottom line is that Animal Circuses are wrong and unnecessary. They may be traditional, but they're not needed anymore, and you can get just the same atmosphere and entertainment from any circuses that don't use animals in thier performances. They're so wrong that even the RSPCA frowns apon them, and you know that you need to make a huge, massive fuss to make them pay attention to anything because RSPCA are really lazy, right?

Bullet Magnet · #3 02-21-2008, 04:54 PM

Speaks for itself really. I tried coming up with ways to fix their problems without losing the animals, but all it did was turn the circus into zoo and sanctuary.

Wings of Fire · #4 02-21-2008, 11:07 PM

They still use animals in circuses? Ick, I thought it was illegal now.

DarkHoodness · #5 02-22-2008, 02:51 AM

Yep. Even last year here in Essex, the Great British Circus was camped in it's usual twice-yearly place, which generated a lot of controversy. I found this report from IndyMedia from when they were camped at Newark.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/391114.html

The signs say everything. And I had to laugh at this comment so I'll post it here.

:

Oh *NOOOOOOES!!!!!!!!!!1111111* Scary gypsy curses wooo!

12.02.2008 04:35
Small print In the middle of the green poster, in case anyone missed it:

"DO NOT REMOVE - Sickness and poverty will strike anyone who does not heed this warning. Gypsy Rose Boswell"

Better hope you put that poster up right the first time, eh?

"Nope, it's not straight, I'll have to take it down and just give it a quick... ARGHHH shit, my legs have fallen off and my house has burned down!"

You know you're winning when they get gypsies to threaten you with curses, via the well-known psychic medium of crap posters stuck to bits of cardboard! Supernatural intimidation tactics? Wooooo-oooo! Fucking awesome, bring it on! (I'll have my tin-foil hat ready and waiting!)

So tigers eh... generally inhabit a fairly large outdoor expanse. Am I to assume that the "Great" British Circus have a portable Serengeti on tour with them - perhaps on the back of a very, very large trailer - to provide the animals with a large expanse of wilderness to roam about in?

Or could it be that the "Great" British Circus are full of shit, and just luuuuurve exploiting animals for profit?

Because I've got ten bits of lucky heather that say that far from being David Attenborough types, they're actually just a bunch of sadistic bastards with pretend gypsy mates and considerably lacking typography design skills.

(FIVE, yes FIVE different fonts on ONE poster? Get to fuck!?!?! That could be a new world record...)

Captain Untameable

Rupture Farms · #6 02-22-2008, 04:39 AM

To answer this thread's question:

Well yes, it technically is Animal Cruelty. I mean, I highly doubt that's their signatures on those contracts. Don't know which will die out first: these animals they keep using, or the concept of circuses.

MA · #7 02-23-2008, 08:02 AM

@ Dark Hood:
the RSPCA aren't lazy, just underfunded and have no 'essential' authority. the volunteers that also work for them prove this.

DarkHoodness · #8 02-23-2008, 02:58 PM

:

@ Dark Hood:
the RSPCA aren't lazy, just underfunded and have no 'essential' authority. the volunteers that also work for them prove this.

I beg to differ. A friend dubbed them "Royal Society for Pretending to Care for Animals", and for a good reason - Something happened around where I live recently where a dog was kept by gypsy-types for 4 days and 3 very cold (between 1°C to -2°C) nights in an exposed cage with no food, no water, and no adequate shelter (we looked in the cage when they were out and had to feed and water it after the 3rd day 'cause no-one else did). You could hear the thing howling non-stop across the whole of the woods for that time.

We called the RSPCA twice during the 4 days the dog was kept in the shelter, and each time they used every excuse in the book to not deal with the problem. A friend called them too, but they didn't have much luck either. Eventaully the dog dissapeared - My guess is that the Gypsy types were 'looking after' it (if I can call it that) for friends of thiers or so.

Perhaps it wasn't the most serious dog case ever, but the RSPCA should of at least done something. What if the dog was in that cage for longer? What if we didn't feed it? It could've been worse. And if you look online anywhere about dogs being locked up and forgotten about, many people complain that the RSPCA refuse to do anything, even when they're told that the trapped animals have no water or shelter. It's widely known amoungst many people whom we know that the RSPCA are worse than useless.

{/rant}

MA · #9 02-23-2008, 03:35 PM

its well known that the RSPCA are well underfunded, and even have volunteer's working for them due to the situation. i know that many charities have volunteer's, but in these circumstances (where they act as a 'lifeline' to domesticated and wild animals, as some other charities do) i feel it is necessary for them to receive adequate government funding, or atleast be given the authority to use force in desperate situations, due to the fact that they have no authority at all.

:

We receive no government funding.

We rely entirely on donations to help our work - preventing cruelty to animals, rescuing animals from abuse, arranging loving new homes for them and prosecuting people who harm or neglect them. The RSPCA spends less than 16 per cent of its income on administration.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Sate...rect&pg=donate

this really sums up the shortened version of their overall situation.

you cannot judge a whole organisation/charity on one single event you experienced, or by word of mouth. things are most definately exaggerated by word of mouth (whether purposely or inadvertently), and the experience you described is most probably a rare occurrence.

i myself had an experience with the RSPCA once, where a Buzzard had injured its wing and couldn't fly. not wishing the bird to get eaten by some lazy fox or what 'ave ya', i gave the RSPCA a bell, and then waited for them whilst keeping a eye on the Buzzard. the vet came out eventually, about 2 hours later, but explained they had only a few vets on call, and that he was currently not meant to be on call anyway, therefore he wasn't getting payed for the time he was spending with the bird, and was doing it as a favour.

i think this charity has got enough on it's plate at the moment without bad press, but i feel they are slowly but surely getting there ('there' meaning: so big they will be hard to ignore and will hopefully then receive government funding).

Salamander · #10 02-23-2008, 04:14 PM

Sure, it's animal cruelty, we force animals to do unnatural deeds for our entertainment. We also kill animals and eat them, now the argument seems a little out of perspective, no?

DarkHoodness · #11 02-23-2008, 05:40 PM

:

We also kill animals and eat them, now the argument seems a little out of perspective, no?

I'm a veggie because I don't agree with the way we process most meat products either, so this statement doesn't affect me that much. :P Well okay, I also eat cheese and eggs and drink milk, and even if I only buy organic, it doesn't always mean that the animals haven't suffered to give me those products. It's hypocritical, sure, but hey, I'm only human. Sue me.

:

i think this charity has got enough on it's plate at the moment without bad press, but i feel they are slowly but surely getting there ('there' meaning: so big they will be hard to ignore and will hopefully then receive government funding).

Alright, fair enough. Without the RSPCA, a lot more animals would suffer. But it's the way they advertise themselves, and how this contradicts with the way they acted on the phone which irritates me. We phoned them 2 times, got 2 different people. Both used every excuse under the sun to not help - One even almost yelled at me. And that, IMO, isn't very charitable at all.

Zerox · #12 02-24-2008, 03:35 AM

In all our time, we've found the RSPCA to be very fast and reliable on numerous occasions. Maybe certain areas of the country don't have as many facilities available, and as a result, workers get alot more stressed with it also.

Other than that, I can't understand why there's been any problems with them for you guys.

Salamander · #13 02-24-2008, 06:28 PM

I must ask, who is we?

Zerox · #14 02-24-2008, 09:54 PM

Our family.

Hobo · #15 02-25-2008, 02:06 AM

How many fucking animal cruelty threads do we need a month?

Zerox · #16 02-25-2008, 10:08 AM

:

How many fucking animal cruelty threads do we need a month?

Fifteen. Obviously.

DarkHoodness · #17 02-25-2008, 01:36 PM

:

How many fucking animal cruelty threads do we need a month?

People are bored here, and the animal cruelty topic always makes for a good discussion with the occasional debate. :P Plus it's what most OW fans seem interested in, considering that animal cruelty used to be part of OWI's message.

Matriar · #18 02-25-2008, 03:27 PM

:

How many fucking animal cruelty threads do we need a month?

Until their fucking messages finally will reach your mind!

Plus, I already said that I'll stop making threads about animal testing since this one is my second thread about that topic already. No need to get upset about it, Hobo.

:

Plus it's what most OW fans seem interested in, considering that animal cruelty used to be part of OWI's message.

Amen to that.
Animal testing, slaves, and the expulsion and murder of natives replacing their lands with dirty factories... human business against nature. That's what I see in the games.

Bullet Magnet · #19 02-25-2008, 06:18 PM

Man versus nature: the road to victory!

Leto · #20 02-25-2008, 10:48 PM

:

Until their fucking messages finally will reach your mind!

Now now, don't push your beliefs on others when they've gracefully said 'no thanks'.

Strike Witch · #21 02-26-2008, 12:44 AM

I think we should set every endangered species on fire.

Even the ones in the water.

***Nate*** · #22 02-26-2008, 04:40 AM

:

How many fucking animal cruelty threads do we need a month?

I am so incredibly tempted to start a Bonsai Kitten thread.

DarkHoodness · #23 02-26-2008, 04:45 AM

:

I am so incredibly tempted to start a Bonsai Kitten thread.

Oh, haha.

Man, I was stupid. :P

Oddey · #24 02-26-2008, 10:04 AM

:

How many fucking animal cruelty threads do we need a month?

Don't get me wrong but I kind of agree with Hobo. I do care for animals but all the other animal cruelity threads turned spammy and such quite fast. Yes I'm sure that circus animals are in fact being abused. That's all I'm saying before I say something worse.

Zerox · #25 02-26-2008, 10:11 AM

:

Man versus nature: the road to victory!

QTF.

Technically man is nature, and was derived from it, so the road to victory against ourselves?

In the end, it's gonna be the road to the end more like.

Bullet Magnet · #26 02-26-2008, 10:24 AM

The road ends, not because we have reached our goal, but because the asphalt rollers keeled over dead.

skillyaslig · #27 02-26-2008, 06:28 PM

Ah yeah XD

Hmm, well, I hate circuses anyway, its those damn clowns! But really, making ponies run around in clothes and blance on stools may look intertaining, but I don't think the animals think so. No to mention all the horrible things those carnies might of done to them.

Leto · #28 02-26-2008, 06:44 PM

:

I am so incredibly tempted to start a Bonsai Kitten thread.

OMG I had never seen these before! That's so incredibley cruel!! I hope they put the bastards who did this in jars!

:

But really, making ponies run around in clothes and blance on stools may look intertaining, but I don't think the animals think so.

Are you kidding? All heese I've met are transvestite sluts.

Alector · #29 02-27-2008, 05:07 AM

:

I am so incredibly tempted to start a Bonsai Kitten thread.

A Bonsai Fuzzle thread would match the Oddworld Forums more appropriately. XD

paramiteabe · #30 03-09-2008, 03:13 PM

I beg to differ on this subject Ringling brothers actually takes care of their animals properly. over 100 years I can say it might have been crulity to animals but nowadays there are laws that prevent circuses from harming animals in such ways. From what I understood is that big name circuses like Ringling Brothers trains their animals in their natural habitat. They don't keep them in small cells anymore. So I wouldn't rule out that all circus's are cruel.