By now, I am sure that most of you have seen the video of the dog being thrown into rushing water on set of the upcoming movie, "A Dog's Purpose." Seeing such blatant mistreatment of an animal on film got me thinking about the frequency at which videos like this one come out. How many times have we seen an animal getting mistreated, only to ignore it and keep living our normal life? How many times have I done this?
I realized that I needed to find a way to start decreasing my input on animal mistreatment. My first step? Stop going to the zoo.
Growing up, a common activity for my family was to go to the zoo. I have been there on school trips, with family and friends, and countless other times. But the more I think about the ethical concerns of zoos, the less I want to go.
We contain animals in unnatural habitats (no matter how hard we may try to make them like their natural habitats), and the fact of the matter is, those animals do not belong there. We, as humans, have no right to force these natural creatures to live in boxes simply for us to walk by, stare at, and capture a photo.
If you are still someone who goes to the zoo, I urge you to read the following reasons about why you should not. Despite how entertaining, cute, or fun it may be to see these animals right in front of you, there are negative consequences that you may not be aware of.
1. Mistreatment of Animals - Zoos from around the world have been accused of animal abuse. Videos have circulated the internet of these tragic moments to show the world what happens when we aren't looking.
According to a 2015 report, the World Association of Zoos and Animals had multiple zoos across the world that were proven to be abusing animals. These reports include elephants being beaten, dolphins being forced to go through flaming hoops, and so many more.
Even though these zoos are members of WAZA, which is supposed to hold them accountable for maintaining healthy environments, it is clear that not everyone is being held to these standards.
2. Not Helping Conservation Efforts - It is often showcased that efforts to save endangered species are at the core of the zoo industry's values. While this is a noble effort and certainly something we should be working on, the truth is, most animals in a zoo are not endangered.
An analysis of European Endangered Species Program (EEPs) in 2014 found that 50% of the breeding programs did not include animals that were endangered, and that 25% of the animals in the program weren't even considered to be threatened.
These animals are not being kept to help populate their species or to rehabilitate them to better health. They are there for entertaining people who pay to go to the zoo.
Zoos have to bring in animals that people want to see, not animals that need protection.
3. Low Funds - Attendance at zoos has been dropping. This causes a shortage in funds and a requirement to make cuts where necessary. Often times, instead of allocating the money to develop better habitats or conditions for the animals, funds are directed towards more entertainment for paying customers.
Adding gift shops, rides, water parks, and anything that will attract more attendees. Instead of holding animals in these unnatural environments, we should be working to protect the natural habitats where they are originally from.
4. Beyond Zoos - Have you ever been to the circus? Or maybe you've traveled and had the fun experience of swimming with dolphins or riding an elephant? While these activities can be entertaining and memorable, these animals that are performing these activities are not acting willingly.
Do you really think that a dolphin in the wild would let you climb on it's back while it swam in circles? Or do you think those elephants would choose to walk around in a circle while endless people sit on them? My guess is no.
Recently, an elephant in Cambodia died of dehydration and of years of being forced to give rides to tourists who come to tour the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. Veterinarians who viewed the deceased animal determined that the cause of death was stress from heat exhaustion (the temperature that day was 104 degrees Fahrenheit).The stress lead to high blood pressure, which resulted in a heart attack, and ultimately ended the animal's life.
Now, I have been to these temples. I saw these elephants while I was there. But I did not ride one. I was saddened to hear this news story, but it reminded me why I chose not to ride them in the first place. If you are against elephants being used for rides, then please sign this petition to help end this industry.
5. Animals In Movies - Beyond the mistreatment of animals in zoos and tourist attractions, animals are often used in films. Although they are not always mistreated in these roles, there is evidence that these animals are sometimes forced into performing stunts or actions that they clearly do not want to.
A very recent video was leaked from the set of, "A Dog's Purpose," an upcoming film about the multiple lives that a dog goes through. The video shows a German Shepard being forced into rushing water to film a scene where a girl in rescued from drowning. The dog is clearly frightened of the water, and after being forced in, has to be rescued by trainers because it stayed under water too long.
I have seen the previews for this movie, and I thought it looks like a great film. But after seeing this footage, I question the filming and the ethical impacts it had on animal treatment.
The director of the film, Lasse Hallström, has made a statement saying he was unaware of these actions and will further investigation into the wrongdoings. Although I am pleased to hear that they are planning on more investigations, I am not sure I will bring myself to see this movie.
Ultimately, zoos are a for-profit business. Although there are faint traces of conservation efforts weaved into the mess of what we call "entertainment," zoos are solely an industry that is directed towards pleasing a consumer, not protecting or helping animals in need.
For all of these reasons, and many more beyond just this list, I encourage you to stop going to the zoo, or participating in any sort of unnatural animal activity.
If you aren't sure if what you are doing is okay, just ask yourself this one question, "Would these animals be here, if they had not been forced to by humans?"
