San Francisco is considering a city-wide ban on performances involving wild or exotic animals. The ban would affect circus performances, films, street shows and everything in between.
These animals include those commonly used in circus shows, such as elephants, lions and bears, plus aquatic animals and all other non-domestic creatures. Dogs, cats, horses and ponies would be exempt from the ban.
According to the Humane Society, wild animals can't have their needs met in a performing lifestyle. Wild animals used in circuses, for example, are systematically abused and forced to perform tricks that act against their natural instincts. When traveling, they're often confined to small, dirty cages and deprived of adequate food and water for long stretches of time. The mistreatment of wild performing animals endangers humans, too. They have attacked trainers and spectators without warning, and have been known to escape at random and roam the streets.
People have enough entertainment options available without having to use animals. San Francisco has not supported animal acts in recent years, but an official ban would set an important precedent to outlaw animal acts elsewhere in California and the rest of the U.S. Please sign the petition to urge San Francisco to ban wild and exotic animal acts!
We, the undersigned, are writing in support of San Francisco's proposal to ban performances involving wild or exotic animals.
According to the Humane Society, wild animals can't have their needs met in a performing lifestyle. Wild animals used in circuses, for example, are systematically abused and forced to perform tricks that act against their natural instincts. When traveling, they're often confined to small, dirty cages and deprived of adequate food and water for long stretches of time. The mistreatment of wild performing animals endangers humans, too. They have attacked trainers and spectators without warning, and have been known to escape at random and roam the streets.
We believe people have enough entertainment options available without having to use animals. We understand that San Francisco has not supported animal acts in recent years, but an official ban would set an important precedent to outlaw animal acts elsewhere in California and the rest of the U.S. We respectfully urge yu to move forward with plans to officially ban wild and exotic animal acts in San Francisco! Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
