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How do you feel about the circus?

June4bride2beJune4bride2be
in Upstate NY Babies

I loved it as a kid! Now you hear all the negatives and animal abuse, it is super sad. I have not looked into the reports to see what is accurate, just curious on your take on the circus. Will you take LO? What age if you do? Do you believe the animals are treated as poorly as people claim?

I think R would really like it, he loves animals! I haven't made plans to take him this year, maybe when he is 3? I hate to support anything like this though if they really abuse the animals, I know these animals are better off in natural habitat....but are they being hurt? 

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Re: How do you feel about the circus?

  • MrsWhiteonWhiteStMrsWhiteonWhiteSt
    My only complaint is the seating- we've been twice and it's always on bleachers. It's hard for LOs to sit comfortably. There is one that comes to the Hamburg fairgrounds and it's looooong. Like after an hour I bribed J with cotton candy to leave. I could tell he was getting kind bored (at age 2). He'd see an animal- get all excited and then care less about all the tricks/show and be "over it". This year I think he'd be better.
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  • SeptemberBride'08SeptemberBride'08 member

    On the abuse side I don't really know what to think.

    Personally I find it weird to think that anyone would abuse an animal that costs them hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace. Also if you have a unhappy animal it probably won't perform. Think if you have a unhappy kid...they don't do what you want them to do. 

    I always like to think the best of people, zoos and the circus but I could be wrong. It's a tough discussion.

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  • TinaL99TinaL99 member
    I don't really have an opinion.  I don't know a lot about the abuse of animals or their living conditions.  I went with my niece a few years ago and thought it was entertaining.  We'll probably take the girls in a few years.
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  • Ashnmike528Ashnmike528 member

    I was debating on taking A this year, but we decided to wait until next year.  She and I both love animals, so that part is fun, but I don't know how long it would keep her attention.

    About the abuse, I don't doubt at some point there was probably an issue, but I would like to think (wishful thinking) that there must be come kind of accountability and regulations they have to follow.

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  • jnk062602jnk062602
    Is it in town soon?  I took dd to a mini-circus last year at the school my sister teaches out in perry.  They had some smaller animals - we only stayed for half of it bc I left from there to a buffalo gtg.  But the thing she LOVED was the lady acrobat swinging around on the trapeze and fabric thing.  She was in awe.  I think she would only like it even more this year.  Not sure if I will take her - depending on my work schedule, and how much it will cost us, bc at this age the tiny free one at my sister's school will be just as exciting and maybe not as overwhelming.  But if I don't it is not for any moral reason.  I have no idea if the abuse stuff is true, but I feel the same way - why abuse an animal you spent a lot of money and makes you a lot of money?
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  • ArcticFoxArcticFox member
    I haven't been to the circus since I was a kid.   As far as the animals, I think it is more about spending a life in captivity and being forced to perform on command, especially in an environment that is not animal friendly (loud noises like booming and screaming people).  To see a bear being forced to ride a bike or a lion to jump through a hoop of tiger kind of disgusts me.. rather more makes me sad.  Even if those animals were somehow rescued from the wild, the circus goes against everything in those animals instincts.  Who knows if they are abused, but they are definitely forced to perform, I think they treat them roughly to assert their dominance over the animals.  I'm sure you could find info on PETAs website if you wanted.  PETA is known for being extreme, but I believe they only do it to get attention, because otherwise no one pays attention.  I don't judge those who go though.
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  • SeptemberBride'08SeptemberBride'08 member

    imageArcticFox:
    I haven't been to the circus since I was a kid.   As far as the animals, I think it is more about spending a life in captivity and being forced to perform on command, especially in an environment that is not animal friendly (loud noises like booming and screaming people).  To see a bear being forced to ride a bike or a lion to jump through a hoop of tiger kind of disgusts me.. rather more makes me sad.  Even if those animals were somehow rescued from the wild, the circus goes against everything in those animals instincts.  Who knows if they are abused, but they are definitely forced to perform, I think they treat them roughly to assert their dominance over the animals.  I'm sure you could find info on PETAs website if you wanted.  PETA is known for being extreme, but I believe they only do it to get attention, because otherwise no one pays attention.  I don't judge those who go though.

     

    Yes but clearly PETA is going to be anti-circus so any information is going to be towards their end goal. You will get information but it's not an unbiased source.

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  • ArcticFoxArcticFox member
    Yea, I totally agree.  Maybe though, they have info on circuses that have a bad rep.  I think Ringling has a bad rep but Apple is better.. not sure.  I remember Ringling Bros protests.
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  • Two*TrueTwo*True member

    Peta can definitely slant things but the ASPCA is pretty trusted and here is their take on circuses:

    https://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/circus-cruelty/about-circus-cruelty.aspx

    Personally I won't take DD to one. I even feel bad paying the entry fee for county fairs that include the petting zoo (not the farm part but the traveling petting zoo part).

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  • Two*TrueTwo*True member
    imageSeptemberBride'08:

    Yes but clearly PETA is going to be anti-circus so any information is going to be towards their end goal. You will get information but it's not an unbiased source.

    Of course it's biased but some of the basic info is still real.  Abuse happens.  Just look at the videos of the training and the way the animals are treated.

    https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/circuses.aspx

    Even if some of the text is written in a sensational manner the pictures don't lie.  I can't look at all of those elephants without 1) tearing up and 2) getting really pissed.

     

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  • amamommyamamommy member
    I haven't been since I was a kid, I can't wait to take my LOs! We'll probably wait til the Triplets are 4/5 years old...so the "get" it.
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  • tvbride04tvbride04
    I don't like the circus and won't take DS but if someone wanted to take him that's fine.  Once he's older he can make his own decisions about them.  I'll explain my side and he can figure the rest out.
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