Save the Animals

There is so much beauty on such a small planet within the universe. There is also so much that we are not educated on. This earth is the only known planet that is capable of inhabiting life. We, as a whole, need to try our very best to make sure that this planet is well taken care of. So many things are happening in our world that is destroying our planet, some of which are out of our control. We should try to fix the things that are in our control. One of the things that is really going to hurt our planet in the long run is animal abuse. Without animals, our planet could possibly deteriorate. We should boycott animal abuse agencies to show that we want them shut down. Animals should not be held captive for entertainment, trained to do unnatural things, overpopulated at a store, used to test cosmetics on, or worn as a pair of boots. There are so many different ways to make a change to save these incredible creatures.

Some ways that animals are abused, are in ways that we would never even consider to be abuse. SeaWorld is a place for families to visit and see all of the marine life that are normally found in the ocean. SeaWorld is a source for entertainment. This can be terrible for the species living at SeaWorld. Animals, such as dolphins, manatees, whales and more, were taken out of their natural habitat and forced to be stuck in a refined enclosure. This can not only make the animals feel trapped, but it can also distort their echolocation. Along with a small enclosure, loud crowds can also be a leading factor into the deterioration of an animal's echolocation, making it hard for the animals to survive if they are ever released back into the ocean. Keeping an animal in captivity can also shorten their lifespan. There are so many other ways to be able to see and become informed on marine life. For example, instead of going to SeaWorld, you could go dolphin or whale watching. This is a great way to see these animals in their natural habitat. This goes for any zoo like place that holds animal's captive. We should all come together and protest against locking up innocent animals, and start a "free the cages" movement.

Considering SeaWorld is a source of entertainment, the circus is too. The Ringling Bros circus is known for abusing their animals while training them. They keep these animals in little cages and only allow them to receive sunlight when it is time for a performance or training. When training elephants, they tie rope to the elephant's front and back legs and pull them apart. They keep them tied up in chains and make them to stand on a concrete floor for about twenty-three hours a day for over 6 months. These chains do not allow them to even turn around or lay down. Personally, my feet hurt after an eight-hour shift, so I could not imagine the pain that these poor elephants are feeling. Especially since they weigh anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000 pounds. The trainers also beat the animals so bad, over the slightest disobedience, that the marks are clearly visible. In the wild, male babies stay with their mothers until they are teenagers, and the female babies stay with their mothers their whole life. The Ringling Bros tear the babies away from their mothers within a year after birth, and restrain the babies and begin their abusive process of training. While the babies are still young, the trainers tend to use bull hooks and electric rods specifically to teach the elephant to fear them. This is done in hopes that the elephant will obey the trainer's commands during the training process. These training sessions are also not under supervision by any agency of any kind. These elephants cry out of fear and nobody is there to stand up and protect them. The Ringling Bros also train the tigers in the same way. Even though most circuses do not abuse these animals like the Ringling Bros, they still make these innocent animals do unnatural things. An elephant should not be forced to stand on its hind legs when they weigh more than a car. The Ringling Bros Circus is currently being shut down for the animal abuse they committed. We should still boycott any circus that trains their animals to do unnatural things. Instead of going to the circus' that abuse animals, you could always research the circus and decide whether or not it is cruelty free. Circus Flora is a non-profitable circus that performs in St. Louis. Circus Flora does not use exotic animals, but still performs a great show. We should always stand up for the elephants and tigers that are trained to do unnatural things.

Even though these animals are used as entertainment, many animals are pets to loving families. In order to adopt a pet, most people go to PetSmart or PetCo. Most people do not realize that these animals are abused before they even go home to a loving family. PetSmart is known for abusing dogs that are brought in by their owners to be trained. Both of these companies are always overstocked with fish and many die in the back of the store due to overpopulated tanks. The death rate is so high for these fish, that most stores include fishing out the dead fish as a part of their closing procedure done every night. The feeder mice are normally neglected because they are just food. PetCo reportedly puts unwanted lizards in containers with no holes for oxygen to enter the chamber if they are not sold within a certain period of time. They then simply throw these containers into the dumpster. Live lizards should not be thrown in the dumpster with no oxygen and no way to escape. This is the definition of animal cruelty. Instead of buying animals at PetSmart or Petco, consider adopting animals at a local no kill pet shelter. Many of these animals have already been neglected and deserve loving families. You could be the second chance they might not be able to have.

Although these animals are held in captivity and are forced to do unnatural things, there are far worse things that are happening to other animals around the world. Many of the makeup brands that people use to make them feel more confident in themselves, were first tested on animals. In order for a company to be able to sell a product, it has to be proven to not be extremely harmful. Many brands of makeup prove this by putting it on rabbits or mice. These chemicals that are experimented with can be very harmful when it has become in contact with skin. Many of these animals are chemically burned until there is no more room left on their little bodies to test these products on. This causes many animals to suffer. I personally do not compare myself to a rabbit or mouse, so I do not completely understand why a rabbit or mouse would even be a good test subject in the first place. Just because the rabbit does not have an allergic reaction to it, does not mean that human skin will not either. Instead of purchasing these products and funding animal abuse, people should do research on brands that do not test on animals. I always avoid brands such as Mac, Clinique, Estee Lauder, and many more. I try to buy more natural based products, such as Urban Decay, Smashbox, and E.L.F. If we all come together and start purchasing cruelty free products, then the non-cruelty free products will no longer have funding to further experiment.

Considering we wear makeup that is tested on animals, we all wear boots that contain authentic sheep wool. Ugg's are widely known for creating boots that are great at keeping your feet warm during the winter because they are lined in sheep wool. Most people do not know the amount of abuse these sheep go through. These sheep are normally overcrowded on a little farm, and are subjects to many diseases considering they are overpopulated in such a small space. When they are shipped to Australia, they are all crowded onto a little boat dock and have to stand there for almost two months with little to no food or water, in temperatures reaching one hundred degrees. When it comes time to shave the wool, the sheep are roughly grabbed by their legs and are shaven so forcefully, it leaves open wounds. These wounds then heal as flaps of skin where flies inhabit and create infections. After they are done shaving the sheep, the sheep is then physically thrown back into the pack. Once the sheep can no longer produce wool, they are then brutally left to die. These sheep do not deserve to be treated this way just for humans to have a materialistic item. There are so many other alternatives. I refuse to buy any Ugg product. There are so many other brands of boots that look the exact same as Ugg's, are a lot cheaper, and are animal cruelty free. Airwalk is a great brand that creates boots that last just as long as Ugg's and look the same. A lot of people that I know only have Ugg's because they are name brand. They are afraid to walk around in "knock-off" Ugg's, but they should not be scared because they do not suffer like the sheep do. Just because something is not name brand, does not make someone less of a person. I will forever walk confidently in my "knock-off" Ugg's knowing that I do not support animal abuse.

Animals are very loving creatures and deserve to be protected at all costs. They are a huge part of our world, whether we realize it or not. These animals do not have a voice to prove themselves. We have to be the voice for them. We have to stand up for them and end the suffering caused by humans. An animal's life should not be taken for a materialistic item. They do not deserve to be held captive for entertainment, forced to do unnatural things, thrown out at the end of the night, used as subjects to test products on, or worn as a fashion statement. Animals are companions. They are loyal to us, and we should be loyal to them.

Works Cited

“12 Things Ringling Doesn't Want You to Know.” PETA,

www.peta.org/features/ringling-bros-elephant-cruelty/.

"Beauty Brands You Thought Were Cruelty-Free but Aren't."

PETA. www.peta.org/living/beauty/companies-test-on

-animals/.

Circus Flora, circusflora.org/.

“From PETCO to PETA: A Former PETCO Employee Speaks Out.” PETA,

www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/petco

-peta/.

“Truth About Sea World: Animal Abuse at Sea World, Exploiting.” Global Animal, 23 Mar. 2012, www.globalanimal.org/2011/07/28/new-film-shows-sea-worlds-animal-abuse/.