Hi,
I read online and on Facebook about a tigress who had a fit, convulsions and collapsed at a circus in Russia. One of the circus people poured water over her, used a whip (allegedly, he used this to calm the other animals, but this may not be true) and dragged her by the tail. He defended his claim, saying that these aren't soft cats, "what else was I supposed to do?" (or something like that).
Animals are/have been famously beaten (sometimes using bullhooks), kept in cages and forced to perform unnatural tricks. Unnecessary animal abuse by circuses is wrong. There are animal-free circuses that still manage to remain in business. On the other hand, circuses may lose business if they use animals, due to the negative press that circuses that use animals recieve with animal rights activists.
These animals do not deserve to be abused unnecessarily. They deserve to be cared for. They deserve to be as well, healthy, happy and safe as can be. Please ban the "use" of animals in circuses in Russia and ensure that all of the animals are either sent to sanctuaries or (if domesticated) re-homed to good homes or taken home by their current carers, loved and looked after properly, kindly and compassionately. Thank you so, so, so, so much.
