Do You Take Your Kids to the Circus?

September 28, 2008

The circus is a place for slushies, spinning flashlights and animal acts, but over the years as reports have surfaced about elephants and tigers being mistreated to put on the greatest show on earth, many moms and dads are against taking their kids to witness what goes on under the big top. What's your opinion?
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christie 4 years 33 weeks

We don't go, mostly because it costs too much and because I love animals and know how much torture some of them have to endure.

momma tikita 4 years 33 weeks

i love the circus..always did..we took our kids to it in april here in jersey..and they loved it! i was surprsied that my active 2 year old was sitting down in his chair laughing and behaving well! i wasnt aware of the mistreating of the animals. really sad if its true...but im not sure that it would stop me from going again. love it too much.

momma tikita 4 years 33 weeks

i love the circus..always did.. we took our kids to it in april here in jersey..and they loved it! i was surprsied that my active 2 year old was sitting down in his chair laughing and behaving well! i wasnt aware of the mistreating of the animals. really sad if its true...but im not sure that it would stop me from going again. love it too much.

arienne 4 years 33 weeks

I will absolutely not go to a circus that has animals. Not ever. While I am certainly happy that animals are not abused to the extent they once were (Water for Elephants gives a horrifying look into how bad things once were) their use for entertainment is not okay. Elephants, lions, etc. are not dogs and cats. They are not domesticated and are not happy in a working lifestyle. The use of elephants is particularly sad. They are incredibly intelligent and incredibly sensitive. All you need to do is a google an elephant sanctuary and read what they need versus what they get in circuses and zoos and you will never look at them the same way again.

BlairBear 4 years 33 weeks

I don't do the circus thing! I don't like how the animals at some circus' are treated but mostly it's because clowns scare the holy bejesus out of me.

Roarman 4 years 33 weeks

It isn't right to the animals, even if they are supposedly treated well. They aren't meant to perform for human entertainment. Trapeze acts, motorcyclist through rings, acrobats, that's all fun. Leave the animals out of it.

CaterpillarGirl 4 years 33 weeks

I went to the circus as a child and would Cry, because even then i realized that the animals werent meant to be acting that way, to me it was exploitative, and humiliating to the animals, there is nothing worse than seeing an animal as majestic as a lion or as regal as an elephant doing paltry tricks and dressed in stupid clothes.

CoralAmber 4 years 33 weeks

My dad took me when I was little and I liked it. It's probably a bit much for me now though. If I had kids I would probably take them to a trapeze show sometime, but the circus is kind of an ordeal.

kiwitwist 4 years 33 weeks

No way!

kiwitwist 4 years 33 weeks

No way!

jessie 4 years 33 weeks

i took my first son once when he was about 1 1/2...circus's just don't do it for me....:shrug:....

anniekim 4 years 33 weeks

the circus, to me, is where boring meets creepy.

lickety split 4 years 33 weeks

we went to the circus last summer in san diego, my dad took the girls and i. there were surprisingly few animal acts. the elephants ran around and sat in a few different positions, the miniature horses did something similar, and the tigers did a hop from stool to stool thing. but one of the tigers didn't want to get out and they didn't make him (her?). where we were sitting we could see the animals and their trainers in shadow (the light was behind them) before their time to go on, and all them seemed very attached to each other. most of the circus was clowns (not traditional), motor cycles, acrobats, trapeze, you know, human stuff. my dad loved it. the girls liked it and i was just glad none of the animals attacked the people because i know what has been reported.

lickety split 4 years 33 weeks

we went to the circus last summer in san diego, my dad took the girls and i. there were surprisingly few animal acts. the elephants ran around and sat in a few different positions, the miniature horses did something similar, and the tigers did a hop from stool to stool thing. but one of the tigers didn't want to get out and they didn't make him (her?). where we were sitting we could see the animals and their trainers in shadow (the light was behind them) before their time to go on, and all them seemed very attached to each other.most of the circus was clowns (not traditional), motor cycles, acrobats, trapeze, you know, human stuff. my dad loved it. the girls liked it and i was just glad none of the animals attacked the people because i know what has been reported.

kmckay 4 years 33 weeks

circuses totally exploit animals even if they claim they're treating them "humanely" it's unnatural for bears to ride unicycles, elephants to stand on 2 feet and tigers to jump through hopes, etc.i'd be all in support for human circuses but a big NO to ones involving creatures without a voice.and i feel the same about sea world and the like.... pools with trainers aren't natural for dolphins and whales no matter how much one can justify it.

kmckay 4 years 33 weeks

circuses totally exploit animals even if they claim they're treating them "humanely" it's unnatural for bears to ride unicycles, elephants to stand on 2 feet and tigers to jump through hopes, etc. i'd be all in support for human circuses but a big NO to ones involving creatures without a voice. and i feel the same about sea world and the like.... pools with trainers aren't natural for dolphins and whales no matter how much one can justify it.

Lovely_1 4 years 33 weeks

My parents took me once and thought the elephants were being mistreated and we never went again. I would NEVER take my children to the circus when I have them, there is a lot of "mistreating" going on and I will support it.

OhMyDragonflys 4 years 33 weeks

As in human circuses.I went to Sea World and was petrified, sure they have great shows but a big big bird was in a tiny cage for people to look at.They take care of the Whales and Marine animals, but I'll never forget that bird. It looked so miserable.I looked it the bird type later and found out it was nocturnal.

OhMyDragonflys 4 years 33 weeks

As in human circuses. I went to Sea World and was petrified, sure they have great shows but a big big bird was in a tiny cage for people to look at. They take care of the Whales and Marine animals, but I'll never forget that bird. It looked so miserable. I looked it the bird type later and found out it was nocturnal.

OhMyDragonflys 4 years 33 weeks

I would only take them to the circus without animals being abused.

lms 4 years 33 weeks

I took my daughter to Ringling Bros. once, but neither of us liked it. I take her to Cirque du Soleil instead. We both enjoy those shows very much.

LiLRuck44 4 years 33 weeks

Elephants weren't meant to do tricks. Humans have a choice so I'm all for trapeze acts, etc. But once you throw animals in to the mix, it becomes ridiculous to me. Animals don't have to do tricks to be fascinating!

foxie 4 years 33 weeks

I think telling yourself that the animals are being treated compassionately is a cheap cop out. It's common practice that training the animals involves HURTING the animals when they aren't paying attention/performing properly. I'm talking beatings, shocks, and prods. The tricks they're trained to perform are dangerous and uncomfortable. What happens during practice when that elephant pyramid loses its balance? It's sad and it's sick and it's NOT good parenting. Take them to a theme park.

foxie 4 years 33 weeks

I think telling yourself that the animals are being treated compassionately is a cheap cop out. It's common practice that training the animals involves HURTING the animals when they aren't paying attention/performing properly. I'm talking beatings, shocks, and prods. The tricks they're trained to perform are dangerous and uncomfortable. What happens during practice when that elephant pyramid loses its balance?It's sad and it's sick and it's NOT good parenting. Take them to a theme park.

fjaril 4 years 33 weeks

The Circus has come a very long way. A vast majority of them take excellent care of their animals.

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