The circus has been in my suburb, at one of my local parks. It's been winter school holidays and families were flocking there on Sunday morning when I was out and about. Christians and Lions - that's what was keeping Sydney interested this week, and having both arrived together, it's time for both to depart as school goes back for third term.I do like circuses - ones without animals, like Cirque du Soleil, or Circus Oz - and would never go to this one. My mother refused to take me to the Moscow Circus when it toured in the 1960s, because of the treatment of bears. I whinged to her for ages, but she patiently explained her position, and stayed resolute. I guess her values stuck with me. These lions in that small cage make me feel quite sad.
What do you think about the circus? Do you go?
I went to see Cirque de Soliel in Sydney a couple of years ago while on holiday. What a superb show. Wish I was there this year to see them again. Might catch them in London next February.
ReplyDeleteI don't like circus with animals. It's so sad to see the way they are treated!
ReplyDeleteBut I really appreciate circus like cirque du soleil : it's so beautiful!
I'm absolutely with you on this one.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm with you on this one too. I'm more in two minds about zoos, as the best ones do give the animals quite a lot of room, they're not penned in like these lions, and they do good work with endangered species.
ReplyDeleteGood photos!
Nope, I wouldn't go. Poor animals!
ReplyDeleteCruel to do that to such magnificent animals.
ReplyDeleteThis is beneath my window this morning. Though they were supposed to be going home. Even the police looked bemused.
http://annamog.blogspot.com/2008/07/go-home.html
Yep, I'm with everyone on this one...it is so sad to see beautiful animals penned up in small enclosures, & trained to perform tricks. I find it very distasteful. Cirque du Soleil would be wonderful...for some reason, i seem to miss it when it comes to Brisbane.
ReplyDeleteCabacurl you must see them when they come to Brisbane this time. They are superb.
ReplyDeleteYes, Cirque is great, but of course expensive. For a family, very pricey indeed; we went once but couldn't afford to go every time. Whereas these small travelling circuses are quite inexpensive.
ReplyDeleteAs an animal lover, in particular a cat lover, it breaks my heart to see this too. I share your values and those of your mother. Good for her for staying resolute! I guess that as a species who has difficulty even refraining from enslaving its own, its hardly surprising that we would still be enslaving animals in such ridiculous conditions.
ReplyDeleteLittle children love circuses but they wouldn't be bereft if they were spared being terrified of the lions.
As everybody above says, keeping animals enclosed in such small spaces just for the 'enjoyment' of humans, is so cruel.
ReplyDeleteI especially hate to see elephants in circuses. They're such beautiful, majestic animals and should not be used to amuse people with the tricks they've learned to do. I always feel so sad and ashamed when I see an elephant 'performing'.