When Pratte asked two trainers about the lack of enrichment for the animals , he said, they told him they didn't have time to set up proper enclosures for the cats since they weren't going to be in the city long enough, despite a nearly week-long stay. And though tigers are often solitary animals, they were often kept with at least two other companions in their small pens. In the hour preceding each show, I witnessed multiple altercations between cats.
Many of the cats also had injuries from fighting - which was exacerbated by putting so many animals in such close quarters. During the three fights Pratte witnessed, he said, he saw one cat get cut, and the others received puncture wounds and lost tufts of hair. These are likely from improperly housing these cats in groups. Many of the cats were also noticeably overweight, Pratte said.
Their weight put them at risk for conditions like organ failure, arthritis, respiratory issues and heart disease - of which Pratte saw clear signs. The cats' weight also made lying on their concrete floors, already dangerous for their joints, even more damaging. Many of them also had cracked paws, he reported, as a result of living on hard floors, particularly when they are hosed down and remain wet for a long time. Unsurprisingly, the poor living conditions and harsh training had an effect on the mental well-being of the animals, Pratte said.
Some of the cats were witnessed expressing stereotypic behaviors - mindless, repetitive tics that animals develop as a means of coping with the stress of captivity. Pratte witnessed two cats pacing back and forth in their cages, a common symptom of captive stress and psychological issues. He also said that one trainer told him that Ringling Bros. He explained that human-reared cubs can develop a number of problems, including excessive aggression towards other animals and humans, and "long-term depressive traits.
For Pratte, the takeaways from his visit to Ringling Bros. Pratte, who is also an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska and works as a welfare consultant for a number of well-known organizations, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums AZA; the top zoo accreditation group in the U.
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FoodMonster App. Support Us. Buy our Cookbooks. Sign Our Petitions. Check out our must-buy plant-based cookbooks! Learn more. Comments Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. Sign on with:. The Circus Train! Not only have railroads proven well-suited for commuters and freight, but for over years they have also been known to ease the transportation of massive animals and heavy equipment often for your entertainment.
During the s, there were approximately 30 animal circuses touring the eastern United States. These shows traveled nightly by wagon through muddied country roads. By the P. Barnum Circus had grown so large that they decided to only play at large venues, and to travel by train.
They developed a system of ropes, pulleys, inclined planes and crossover plates between cars that, first used in , was continued through more modern methods by the RBBX up until its retirement this year. The RBBX circus trains were more than one mile in length and consisted of 60 railroad cars, which is the equivalent of trucks. The trains consisted of stock cars for exotic animals, flat cars for heavy equipment, and coaches to the rear.
No space went underutilized. Stock cars were 72 feet long and of two basic types.
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