# How bad are circuses? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758 "2011-07-20T20:40:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/61 "2011-07-21T17:05:51Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > It’s like if a two-year old were to side with me in a debate about world politics - it wouldn’t really matter because the kid’s lack of knowledge on the subject makes their opinion irrelevant. What about a child prodigy super genius? I’d make an exception for him/her as long as the child were potty trained.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/62 "2011-07-21T21:27:10Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > I don’t care what you think, whether you agree, disagree or feel our posts have any shared points at all. . **“YOU”** are the one who sided with \*\*“ME”. \*\* I made the points that in general circus animals were taken well care of comparatively, and also that some circus animals are quite expensive to buy, and to take care of. You later came along much later and agreed with both of my points in my early posts. If you want to agree with me, then fine, but it makes no sense at all for you to criticize and deny the very same points that you are agreeing with. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/63 "2011-07-21T21:39:46Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > **“YOU”** are the one who sided with \*\*“ME”. \*\* > > I made the points that in general circus animals were taken well care of comparatively, and also that some circus animals are quite expensive to buy, and to take care of. > > You later came along much later and agreed with both of my points in my early posts. If you want to agree with me, then fine, but it makes no sense at all for you to criticize and deny the very same points that you are agreeing with. I believe you are missing the finer point that none of us have seen evidence that when a Circus shuts down that they KILL ALL THE ANIMALS! And contrary to what “you guess”, several posters have posted evidence that such animals end up in Zoos and wildlife preserves. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/64 "2011-07-21T22:08:59Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > **“YOU”** are the one who sided with \*\*“ME”. \*\* No, I mostly just disregarded your posts because of your obvious lack of knowledge from the beginning, and made my own points as if you weren’t here. From what I’ve seen of most of your contributions to the boards, that’s how you should usually be treated. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/65 "2011-07-21T22:24:05Z")
Check out the elephant’s feet. Oftentimes, the first thing to go is proper elephant foot care. (I know that sounds ridiculous, but bear with me here.) If the elephants don’t like or trust their caretakers, they are not willing to allow them to trim toenails and do the other necessary preventative care that elephants in captivity require to keep their feet in good shape. Other care and training can be accomplished from a distance, but you’ve gotta get up close and personal to trim those nails. Chronic foot infections are the very visible result of poor elephant treatment. If the toes are swollen and the nails overgrown, then you’ve most likely got your answer. The elephant is probably not a happy camper. I don’t know if they’re still in business at all, but Hawthorn Corporation (they lease out their elephants to smaller circuses) used to be absolutely infamous for poor elephant treatment. If you go to the circus and see their trucks, which are clearly marked Hawthorn, then you might want to think twice about giving them your money. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/66 "2011-07-21T23:12:50Z")
> [@Sarabellum1976](#): > > (I know that sounds ridiculous, but bear with me here.) I thought we were talking about elephants :::::d+r:::: ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/67 "2011-07-21T23:37:58Z")
Originally Posted by Susanann “YOU” are the one who sided with “ME”. > [@Mach Tuck](#): > > No, I mostly just disregarded your posts because of your obvious lack of knowledge from the beginning,…From what I’ve seen of most of your contributions to the boards, that’s how you should usually be treated. … I wish I could have disregarded your posts. Unfortunately, since the only thing you were doing was merely reiterating the points\*\* “I”\*\* had already previously posted, along with just making personal remarks about **“me”** , that was pretty hard to ignore. I think it would be nicer if in the future you treated others with respect, especially if all you are doing is reiterating about that person’s (my) original points, and making personal comments about them(me). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/68 "2011-07-22T00:03:59Z")
> [@Sarabellum1976](#): > > Check out the elephant’s feet. Oftentimes, the first thing to go is proper elephant foot care. (I know that sounds ridiculous, but bear with me here.) Winkie, the elephant that killed Joanna Burke, and her predecessor (also named Winkie) at the same zoo both had foot infections at one time. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/69 "2011-07-22T11:38:31Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Originally Posted by Susanann > “YOU” are the one who sided with “ME”. > > I wish I could have disregarded your posts. Unfortunately, since the only thing you were doing was merely reiterating the points\*\* “I”\*\* had already previously posted, along with just making personal remarks about **“me”** , that was pretty hard to ignore. > > I think it would be nicer if in the future you treated others with respect, especially if all you are doing is reiterating about that person’s (my) original points, and making personal comments about them(me). The “he said she said” has gone on long enough. Back to discussing circuses, please, and no more of this hijack. **Ellen Cherry IMHO Moderator** ---
**Author:** ![bartleby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bartleby/32/10491_2.png) [@bartleby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bartleby)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/70 "2011-07-22T19:42:09Z")
I enjoy Circuses. I enjoy them very much. As a grown man, I’m a little bit embarrassed how much I enjoy them. I believe that the animals are treated as well as they can be, and that the trainers (in most cases) truly love the animals that they work with. I have not done research, I have not investigated, and some of that is that if there is abuse going on, I really don’t think I want to know about it. I know it makes me bad, but, man, do I Love a Circus! Back in High School, the Moscow circus came to town. I went a couple of times, because the Russian class from the aforementioned High School went, and them my parents got tickets. When I went the first time (I think it was opening night) PETA was standing around handing out flyers. I took one and ripped it up right in front of the guy handing it out, tossing the confetti in the air. THAT I feel bad about. littering… I’m a bad person. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/71 "2011-07-22T19:45:57Z")
> [@bartleby](#): > > I enjoy Circuses. I enjoy them very much. As a grown man, I’m a little bit embarrassed how much I enjoy them. [Just for you.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSThDxbLtPk) ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/72 "2011-07-22T20:09:32Z")
I went to a circus and was creeped out by the bears riding bicycles. It just seemed so wrong somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/73 "2011-07-22T20:23:57Z")
> [@bartleby](#): > > Back in High School, the Moscow circus came to town. > [@Erdosain](#): > > I went to a circus and was creeped out by the bears riding bicycles. It just seemed so wrong somehow. In Moscow Circus, bears ride YOU! ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/74 "2011-07-22T23:38:04Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I went to a circus and was creeped out by the bears riding bicycles. It just seemed so wrong somehow. Yeah, maybe a little. But if you have seen a lot of bears doing all sorts of funny things as I have, bears are usually fun to watch because they do so many ridiculous and unusual things. Bears and raccoons can be really funny going thru garbage or rummaging a tent site. I just read the other day when they finally managed to catch a bear that had a glass jar stuck on its head. Bears do lots of funny things even when they are not in a circus. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/75 "2011-07-22T23:54:58Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > In Moscow Circus, bears ride YOU! It was in Moscow; the Russians must love their performing bears. They also had this wheel that the bear would get into, spread-eagled, and roll around doing cartwheels in. [shudders] They were also whipping a bunch of camels something fierce. However, I imagine Russian circuses (circii?) are prety much like check-in at an Italian airport: no rules. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/76 "2011-07-23T00:05:14Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > In Moscow Circus, bears ride YOU! We’ve got those kinds of bars here in America, too. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758/77 "2011-07-24T14:00:22Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > So, if we all stop going to circuses, the circuses will go out of business, and they’ll be forced to kill all the clowns? > > I’m OK with that. 😃 Me too, 100%. Except for the stop going to the circuses, and the circuses going out of business part. Best wishes, hh [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-are-circuses/589758.md?page=3)