When it Comes to Entertainment Not All Animals are Equal

By Meret Shaker

Sometimes, don't you just wish you could ask your dog to play a round of video games with you when you are really bored? Or even bring you a cup of water when you are extremely thirsty and too lazy to get up? Well, as it turns out, many dogs in entertainment have successfully been able to do just that; with the help of some screen editing of course! In fact, man's best friend has been stealing the spotlight and pulling on our heartstrings on the big screen for over a hundred years.

Before there was Bingo, before there was Benji, and even before our beloved Lassie, there was Blair the Border Collie. She starred in Rescued by Rover in 1905, and became the first-ever canine star for her role as a heroic dog that saves a baby from a thieving woman. The story involves two of our favourite things; dogs and babies, now who wouldn't want to watch that? But this movie was more than just cute chubby babies and smart, lovable dogs: it paved the road for many movies of heroic dogs in years to come.

The Winnipeg Humane Society is completely against using wild animals for entertainment; however, it is more lenient when it comes to the use of dogs in movies and other performances. Dogs in nature are highly social animals; they're not called man's best friend for nothing! When dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago by humans from their ancestors, the grey wolves, most of the “wild” was successfully taken out of them. They became animals that seek the attention, affection and praise from their owner. I'm sure you've experienced the heart wrenching puppy eyes once or twice before. Dogs in particular, love the chance to perform and they thrive on learning tricks and showing them off.

They are one of the keenest animals to learn new tricks, and are almost always food motivated - just think of dinnertime under your table. It is easy to teach them, especially through positive reinforcements!

Commands like “sit”, “stay”, and “let's go”, are all things that we teach our dogs everyday, and any other tricks that are preformed in dog shows are merely building on those same basic commands. In fact, teaching your dog such tricks and activities can provide them with just the needed amount of stimulation, for both their minds and their bodies. Despite what you may think, taking your dog for a walk everyday is not enough. If you worked out for two hours everyday, and did nothing with the rest of your time but roam around, you'd be bored because there is no stimulation for your mind. It is the same for our four-legged friends! They need to be provided with enough stimulation in both ways, and the way to do that is by teaching them new, different and challenging activities. Things like agility training or fly ball will keep them strong, healthy and far from bored. Try it out, it may just save you your favourite pair of shoes.

On the other hand, The WHS is completely against the use of wild and exotic animals in inhumane and unnecessary entertainment. An average life span of an elephant in captivity is 15 years, while an elephant in the wild can live up to an average of an incredible 70 years. Can you believe the immense difference?

A wild animal in captivity is unable to perform its most basic behavioural, psychological and physical needs. A large portion of the circus industry thrives on the misery of animals such as elephants, camels, bears, tigers, lions, and the list goes on and on.

They get trained behind closed doors, a place where the circus directors never want you to set a foot. It is a shame what those animals go through in the name of so called entertainment. An elephant in the wild would never do a headstand and a bear would never ride a bicycle. It is degrading and demeaning for those majestic animals, the kings and queens of the jungles, to do such unnatural acts. Being unnatural behaviours, they are not easily learned; it takes large amounts of intimidation by their unkind trainers to force them to do those tricks using violence, aggression, and a whole lot of pain. It is hard to think of those magnificent beasts, like tigers and lions, being helpless and intimidated, but that just tells us how much cruelty is going on right under our noses. Thankfully, the Province of Manitoba is currently in the process of creating the official minimum standards of care for circus animals traveling through Manitoba, based on the successfully implemented standards in Nova Scotia. This kind of progress in legislation is definitely a step in the right direction!

Some may argue that those circuses, zoos, and aquariums are educational, but are they really? With so many educational alternatives such as TV documentaries, IMAX shows and movies, is it really necessary to watch those animals perform ridiculous tricks, which falsely portray their magnificence? In reality, what it is teaching our children is that wild animals can be exploited in the name of entertainment. In fact, several Winnipeg School Divisions, including Louis Riel, Seven Oaks, Winnipeg #1, River East-Transcona, and St. James, have made the decision to no longer accept free tickets for distribution to the kids to attend the circus.

You may ask yourself, “What is it that I can do?” Well, the answer is simple: don't attend circuses that include wild/exotic animal acts, and get support by raising awareness. Remember, your decision can save the lives of many wild animals in years to come! As for your dogs, keep teaching them new tricks. One day, they may just surprise you with the TV remote in their paw.