Argument Against Animal Captivity

Imagine a person spending their entire life kept in a cage -- away from home, where they are meant to be. Animals in zoos and circuses should not be held captive. Notable reasons why I believe animal captivity is wrong are due to the size and limitations of the living areas these animals are in, the danger these animals possess to humans, and because they are taken from the wild at an early age. Every day, all around the world, animals are held captive under no free will, and every one of those days is a waste of a healthy life for these animals. At SeaWorld San Diego, the parking lot is about twenty times larger than the actual tank the killer whales reside in. Helen Barnett states, “They spend their lives swimming in a tiny tank oblivious to the fact they are just yards from the sea where they could be free” (Helen Barnett). This is just one example of the contention with tank sizes and limitations concerning animal captivity. This doesn’t account for the many other zoos, circuses, and organizations that hold animals captive. It is wrong to deny an animal their right to their own lifestyle, home, and personal space. Animals should no longer be a cheap form of entertainment. Just like humans, they are …show more content…
They are not properly nurtured from their mothers before they are taken away, and are forcefully trained to live according to their new owner’s standards. PETA says, “More than 90 orcas were stalked and herded into a three-acre net by deafening explosives, speedboats and airplanes at Puget Sound, a deep inlet of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington”(PETA). Animals all across the world have this happen to them daily. Typically, they are taken at a young age, since they are easier to train. The trauma from being captured can be the initial cause of aggression of animals, which doesn’t help the fact that most are already a dangerous