An Entertainment Abuses Articles from All-Creatures.org

Ringling Bros. is Unfurling the Big Top Without Animals

From Nathan Winograd
May 2022

The end of animal acts and a reimagined circus proves two things: first, we don’t need to exploit animals for entertainment and second, we are making progress in our efforts to build a truly humane society.

Six years ago, after nearly 150-years of performances, Ringling Bros. closed its doors following intense criticism over its abuse of animals. That criticism has not subsided, and three U.S. states have banned the use of wild animals in circuses: California, New Jersey, and Hawaii.

This week, however, Ringling Bros. announced its unfurling the big top once again, but this time without the animals. Instead, “‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ is making a comeback featuring extraordinary humans…” something akin to Cirque du Soleil.

The end of animal acts and a reimagined circus proves two things: first, we don’t need to exploit animals for entertainment and second, we are making progress in our efforts to build a truly humane society.

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