As I was listening in to various news stations, TED Talks, and discussion boards, it occurred to me that life as we have known it will not be the same for kids of the future generations. One thing that crossed my mind and inspired this article was the news that the infamous Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus will be closing their curtains after 146 years.

I am sure that we have all heard by now that this circus has been at the center of many debates. From animal cruelty, high cost of performances, and to the ever growing animal activists groups.

As a kid, I will admit I loved attending the circus, watching the animals, and seeing acrobats soar through the air. And as children are, I was naively unaware of the harm that was bestowed upon the animals. As a kid I often thought that the animals were as delighted as I. However, I know now that is not the case. But never did I imagine that in my lifetime I would see it come to a close. Especially the Ringling Bros. I must say that it is something that I am glad to see go and it is about time that the animals be released into rehabilitation centers, or loving facilities that will care for them throughout the remainder of their lives.

If you are a person who has compassion for animals or even a love for Elephants, you know this is a major victory. PeTA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] is one of the most well known animal activist groups and are constantly trying to spread awareness for animal cruelty. They even created an article on 12 Things Ringling Doesn't Want You to Know . I will not lie, they expose some pretty cruel acts towards the infamous Elephants.

The elephants were not the only animals used in the famous show. Big cats even starred in it, like lions and tigers. Just like the the elephants, they too were harshly abused and mistreated.

With such a huge step in the right direction towards the safety and protection of all animals, even performers, it is no wonder who will be going down next. Perhaps this landmark decision is to foreshadow what will happen to others if they do not change, or maybe it will send the message that they too will be closed.Although the current CEO claims that closing is not all in due part to animal cruelty, it is one of the major aspects.The CEO goes on to say that over the years, ticket sales have been drastically declining, and the cost to perform the show is too much to bare.

While this is one victory that can be because of one the famous documentary that made news entitled BlackFish. Its' objective was to open people's eyes that abuse can happen to all types of animals. The circus is but one area that forces animals to perform. Who knows what the future has in store, but let's hope it is more animal rights.

[This documentary told viewers of the cruelty that orcas faced living in places like SeaWorld and other facilities that forced the animal to perform and live in cramped and non natural habitats. In the case of BlackFish the Orcas often lived in solitude cut off from one another, or all together in cramped confined living quarters that eventually caused deformation in their fins.]