Jenkins

Cece Jenkins
Mrs. DeBock
English 4
18 October 2016
Animals in Captivity
Animals in captivity do not thrive in zoos, aquariums, and circuses and a stronger policy
should exist regarding the treatment to the animals. The animals in captivity do not live as long
as they would if they were out in the wild. Captivation of animals is to keep domesticated or
wild animals in homes, zoos, aquariums, circuses, etc, inside a tank, cage, or any type of
enclosure rather than their natural habitat. The mistreatment of animals have caused many
problems for the owners, or employees, of these zoos, aquariums, and circuses, and for the
animals themselves. These animals in captivity are being deprived of the regular life in the wild.
Physical and mental stress can occur because of the animals not being habitual in captivity.
Captivation of animals happens all around the world to all different types of animals. The
problem of the animals happiness also exists in studies taken from animals that are captivated.
It is proved by many studies and surveys that animals in captivity is no way for an animal to live
its life.
First of all, animals in captivity have been mistreated in many ways by zoos, aquariums,
and circuses. An aquarium in Idaho was recently caught for illegally obtaining marine animals.
The staff members of this aquarium states that some of the animals enclosures have trash and
debris in them, some animals are going missing, and animals are dying or being killed (Anne
Wallace). Many zoos, aquariums, and circuses are not equip to have animals living in them.
According to Issitt in Zoos and Circuses: Overview, There are approximately 2,800 animal

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exhibitors in the United States, of which fewer than 10 percent meet AZA's standards for
accreditation. Also, the sizing of the animals exhibits do not meet the regulations. Circuses are
not technically keeping animals in captivity, but using animals as a form of entertainment, which
does not help the animals in any way because it is not a good or healthy life to live. Animals in
captivity are already living a hard life and should not be treated any worse. Some animals are
not fed on a regular basis unless they are performing that day, which is highly unhealthy. For
example, captive chimpanzees will perform the best they can to receive food that they want
(Kurtycz). The animals should be left alone, or treated with dignity while in captivity (Mitra).
The owners of these zoos and aquariums do not know how to properly take care of the animals
and has been this way for a long time. Even hundreds of years ago, owners did not know how to
take care of and provide for the animals in captivity (Issitt Counterpoint of Wild Animals Is A
Form Of Cruelty And Should Be Prohibited). Many reasons caused the horrible treatment to the
animals such as uneducated owners and the living environment in zoos, aquariums, and circuses.
Secondly, animals in captivity can suffer from many serious problems. According to the
research, many animals, especially large marine herbivores and carnivores, can suffer from
physical and psychological trauma when in captivity (Point: The Treatment of Animals By
Zoos, Aquariums, and Circuses Should Be Improved Through More Stringent Regulations and
Oversight). These different types of trauma can cause the animals to react in dangerous ways.
For example, when the animal is treated abusively or harmfully, it is going to react in a
dangerous way. The stress that is caused from being in captivity is one of the reasons that
animals act harmfully toward their trainers or kill them (Issitt). Also according to Issitt in Zoos
and Circuses: Overview, a orca trainer named Dawn Brancheau was killed because of the whale
in captivity he trained was acting violently when performing. The animals in these zoos,

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aquariums, and circuses are forced to be shown to people and do what their trainers instruct them
to do. Many deaths or accidents have occurred to either the animal or the animals trainer
because of the dangerous ways the animals are treated. According to the research, Elephant
keeper John Bradford was killed at Dickinson Park Zoo in 2013 when an animal he was working
with began behaving violently (Point: The Treatment of Animals By Zoos, Aquariums, and
Circuses Should Be Improved Through More Stringent Regulations and Oversight). Many
problems can occur because the animal or the animal trainer is behaving dangerously and this
can cause the animals to have physical and psychological trauma and not survive in captivity.
Finally, the topic of whether animals are happy or not while in captivity is extremely
controversial. Animals in zoos, aquariums, and circuses do not have a choice to be in captivity.
According to the research, Animals in captivity clearly have reduced control over their lives
(Kurtycz). The animals in captivity are treated by these aquariums and zoos like they have the
best lives, but most the time the treatment does not always work out in the animals favor. The
animals in aquariums are being neglected and not being treated the way they should in order to
have a good life (Anne Wallace). When the owners of the zoos and aquariums are preparing the
animals exhibits or enclosures, the happiness of the animals is not kept in mind. A study on
pandas are observed by a zoo on how the animals would react to have the choice to go outside.
Because the pandas are ordinarily kept inside, when they were allowed outside, signs of stress
declined and their social behavior elevated higher than usual (Kurtycz). Also stated by Kurtycz,
a study in 2013 was recorded on different types of zoo animals and all of the animals reacted
positivity to being able to go outside instead of staying inside their enclosure. Being able to go
out into the wild is helping some animals to separate themselves from their group and be more
like themselves. Some animals have reacted negatively to studies that allow them to go outside

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because they are not accustomed to living in the wild. According to the research, a whole entire
park should be designed as the wild for an animal to feel at home and behave in a natural way
(Point: The Treatment Of Animals By Zoos, Aquariums, And Circuses Should Be Improved
Through More Stringent Regulations And Oversight"). Some animals released into the wild
have not lived very long because they have been in captivity and are not fit for going outside the
zoo, aquarium, or circus. Studies have proved that animals are happier when they are in their
natural habitat and have a control over their lives.
Animals in captivity live a tough life and do not have any choice otherwise. Most
animals who are in captivity are in cages, tanks or enclosures that are not equal to what they
would be living in the wild. Most animals in aquariums, zoos, and circuses are treated horribly
by their owners or trainers and this is why they are harming themselves or the trainers. The
animals who perform for the zoos and circuses usually are not happy. These animals are forced
to live in conditions that may be too small, or not equip to hold certain animals. Also, many
people believe that animals in captivity are happy all the time and have the best lives, but that is
not the truth. Animals have no say on how they live their lives. Animals living in the wild are
much different from the animals living in aquariums, zoos, and circuses. If a captivated animal
had lived half its life in captivity and then was released into the wild, it would not be able to
live. Many captivated animals suffer from physical and psychological pain due to being in
captivity. Many people and animals have died because of the stress put on the animals. Because
these animals have such a strict and harsh lifestyle in captivity, they would not be able to thrive
in the wild.

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Works Cited

Anne Wallace, Allen. "Commentary: A Difficult Job, But One ThatS Worth Doing
Properly." Idaho Business Review (Boise, ID) (n.d.): Points of View Reference Center.
Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
Issitt, Micah. "Zoos And Circuses: Overview." Points Of View: Zoos & Circuses
(2016): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.

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Issitt, Micah. "Counterpoint: Confinement Of Wild Animals Is A Form Of Cruelty And

Should Be Prohibited." Points Of View: Zoos & Circuses (2016): 1. Points of View
Reference Center. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
Kurtycz, Laura M. "Choice And Control For Animals In Captivity." Psychologist 28.11
(2015): 892-894. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Oct. 2016.
Mitra, Maureen Nandini. "Animals Are Persons, Too." Earth Island Journal 29.4 (2015):
17. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
"Point: The Treatment Of Animals By Zoos, Aquariums, And Circuses Should Be Improved
Through More Stringent Regulations And Oversight." Points Of View: Zoos & Circuses
(2016): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.