Transforming Zoos into Animal Sanctuaries

Many animals are taken out of their natural habitats and are placed in zoos where they are confined to small areas where they have limited space to roam. Most of us have visited a zoo at least once in our lifetime whether it was during a school fieldtrip or with our families and friends, so we know what this looks like. We need to work together to protect animals and their freedom by transforming zoos into sanctuaries.

Animals that are taken out of their natural habitats and are placed in zoos are stripped of their natural behavior and are used as a form of entertainment rather than a form of education. In the 2016 article, “Epic Win! Mayor of Buenos Aires Chooses to Shut Down Zoo for the Best Reason Possible” by Veronica Chavez, she states that animals “are stripped of their natural instincts to hunt, roam, and simply enjoy nature’s beauty and are instead subjected to a pathetically small, concrete enclosure” (1). Animals experience a thrill when hunting for their food in the wild; however, their thrill is taken from them when they are held in captivity because their food is given to them. In the wild animals have an unlimited amount of space where they are able to run and explore new areas, but in zoos they are restricted to the same environment and limited space. Although animals do not have a voice, they should not be forced to adapt to a new environment where they are not able to display their natural behavior. Furthermore, zoos are not educational because people are not able to see how animals behave in the wild. For instance, the 2016 article “Dow We Need Zoos?” by J. Weston Phippen, he writes that “The argument for zoos is often that they serve to educate the public, they give people who can’t afford to travel a chance to see the animals, and that zoos serve as important conservation centers” (3). Although people are exposed to a variety of animals in zoos, they are not getting an “educational” experience because animals are not in their natural habitat. Instead, they are held captive in an area that only allows them to pace back and forth.

We do not want to shut down zoos. What we want from Paul D. Ryan and the House of Representatives is to transform zoos all over the United States into sanctuaries, so that animals that are captive in zoos can attain their freedom and natural instincts again. Animals are not meant to be in zoos. Sanctuaries are going to provide animals more space to roam, explore, and it would most importantly remind them that they are wild animals. Animals are not able to go back to the wild because they have become dependent on humans; however, sanctuaries would provide animals a place that resembles their natural habitats and where they are able to be themselves once again. Moreover, sanctuaries have the choice to be available to the public or not. If sanctuaries become public, they would serve as a form of education because people would actually see how animals behave in the wild unlike being held in cages or in small areas in zoos. Even though it would still be considered a form of entertainment, animals would actually be treated like animals and they would have the freedom they had in the wild.

Animals in zoos do not have voices, but we do, so we need to work together to fight for the freedom of their natural instincts. Our goal is to get Paul D. Ryan and the House of Representatives to put an end to zoos by transforming them into sanctuaries so that animals can have a home where they are able to interact with more animals and where they are able to choose what they do without being controlled by humans. We want a change for animals! With sanctuaries, animals will feel less depressed and bored about being confined in a small area where they are sometimes isolated from the rest of their population. Sometimes animals even commit suicide because they are tired of being held captive. In sanctuaries, animals will not be pacing back and forth; instead, they will be running around. Sanctuaries provide animals more freedom than zoos and they are not being controlled.

Zoos are unacceptable for wild animals. Just like we need freedom and space, animals do too. We all need to stand up together and stop more and more animals from being taken out of their natural habitats and placed in zoos where they live a miserable life.

Animals are similar to us even if some people do not agree. How would we feel if we were held captive in a cage or small area? We would not be happy about it and we would be tired of seeing the same environment. If we would not like this, then why do we do this to animals?

Sign this petition to transform zoos in the U.S. into animal sanctuaries.