When most people watch movies and television shows with
animals in them, they forget to consider how the animals they see are treated
in the name of entertainment. Even I am sometimes guilty of this, because when
I get into a good movie, I tend to forget that the animals I see are being
forced to perform. A couple months ago I went to see The Hobbit with my family. Right
after I saw the movie, I discovered many animals had died from neglect during
the filming of the movie. Next time I see a preview with live animals in it, I
will do more research on the production of the film.
The recent death of Pat Derby, co- founder of Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), reminded me how poorly the entertainment
industry treats animals. Derby started out as an animal trainer, and was
involved in the training of animals on the sets of the popular TV shows “Flipper”
and “Lassie.” After witnessing firsthand the abuse and neglect performing
animals faced, Derby left the animal entertainment industry and went on to advocate
for performing animals. Derby created animal sanctuaries that offer refuge to
animals that have experience abuse in the entertainment industry. She also
developed a model for training elephants without bullhooks or weapons.
I think a good rule of thumb is, if an animal is not in his
or her natural habitat, then there is a good chance this animal is experiencing
cruelty. Dolphins for example, although they look happy and playful at the
aquarium and SeaWorld, the performing industry is not a good life for them. Dolphins
are extremely intelligent, and they need large amounts of space and interaction
with many other dolphins to lead fulfilling life. For more information on
dolphins click here.
Those who go to see animals perform do not want them to
experience cruelty, in fact, a lot of people who go to see animals at SeaWorld
or at the circus claim to LOVE animals. Those in charge of these productions claim
that after people see an animal perform, they will gain an appreciation for the
entire species. The truth is, if you really care about animals, you want what
is best for them, even if that means less excitement for you.
There are some movies that have use technology to created realistic
animals. The movie Golden Compass is a good example. By supporting movies that
use visual effects for creating animals, you are saving animals from being
forced into the entertainment industry. So next time you think of going to the
circus, find an animal sanctuary near your hometown that offers animals a more
peaceful and happy life.
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