LESSON PLAN : ANIMAL WELFARE

BANNING OF WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES

 67 % of the French are opposed to it…..What is it ?

Wild animals in circuses.

 Poster SHOULD ANIMALS BE BANNED FROM CIRCUSES

Debate : What do you think? Do you like the circus? Would it be better if there were only acrobats,
clowns and magicians? Would the circus be the same without animals? Do you think the show
wouldn't be as spectacular if it didn't have performing animals?
Maybe you think if there are no animals, there shouldn't be any circuses at all?

Elephants are perhaps most well-known for their part in circuses, but they are not alone. Lions,
tigers, chimpanzees and bears, zebras are all present in circuses throughout the world, along with
other animals as well

- A life in the circus is a miserable one

- Living conditions are cramped, badly maintained and lack the basic comforts animals need to be
happy and healthy.
-They don’t have the opportunity to exercise, socialise or exhibit any of their natural behaviours,
instead spending their lives trapped in cages.
- Performances are loud, busy and stressful experiences, before they are forced to perform tricks .
- training is cruel and revolves around punishment and fear, with animals beaten and whipped
regularly.
- Animals kept in these environments are unhealthy, suffer from injuries, exhaustion and stress.
- animals have also died from overheating in hot and cramped cages during transport between
shows.

HAVE YOUR SAY :

Ok, it is fun seeing animals in the circus but it is downright CRUEL. I wouldn't want to be
beaten just to do tricks so why should they? Sophie, 15, Staffordshire
I think it's outrageous to have animals working day in day out for our pleasure, some of these
animals are amazing and they need big spaces and certain needs and they wont be getting them met
in the circus. Matt, 15, Manchester

It is cruel to the animals whether they are treated well or not - they are being kept under the rule
of humans when they are naturally wild and should be allowed to follow their instincts and not be
kept as entertainment. Rowena, 14, Milton Keynes
 I think that if animals want to perform then let them. Animals should only be banned from the
circus if they are being treated badly. Padme, 12, Manchester

I think that all animals should be banned from the circus because even though they can't
communicate, they still have feelings and are meant to be in the wild!
Kirsten, 12, Brockham
Animals have a right to be happy and have freedom just as we do. Why should we have 20
minutes of excitement at their expense? Alice, 12, Belfast

What can I do?

- stop going to the circus.

 Video : Un ours attaque un dresseur russe en plein spectacle

Key figures in France :

 More than 1200 animals

 65 humans deaths (Since 1990)

 and 130 cases of injuries

Poster : ban animals from circuses (list of countries) + Poster map animal ban worldwide

 prohibit

 partially prohibit

Alternative
 : creation of holograms. Circus Roncalli decided in 1990 to stop using animals in shows. They now
use a technology allowing to display hologrammes.

Video : le cirque remplace les ours par des hologrammes.

Film à conseiller : Water for elephants