What to Do - Need Advice from Other Mega Animal Lovers

Just take them to the animal free circuses that come to town. That is the only kind of circus that comes here and it is fun to go and see the trapeze artists, clowns, etc. You don't have to go to the circus that has animals.

I say if it goes against what you feel is "right", then don't go! Last weekend, someone offered me free Rodeo tickets for my family (we love free tickets to pretty much anything!)....I declined because of the treatment of the animals. I went many years ago (I didn't really know what to expect) and had to leave because I was so uncomfortable with it. I'm also a non-beef eater and really like cows as animals, so to each his (or her) own! Don't feel compelled to do things that are part of "childhood" because you feel obligated.
Take care.

I don't do circuses with animal acts either. You can always look for circuses and similar shows that only have human performers, like Cirque de Solei (sp?). There are other childhood experiences that I consider essential (i.e. the zoo, trips to the ocean, Disney World), but the traditional circus with performing elephants, tigers, etc. is not one of them. We also have to think about what we want to teach our children and the messages we are sending forth. My daughter is 4 and if she asks about going to a circus when she is older, I will just tell her that I don't think it's right for wild animals to live this way and to be used for entertainment and we are not going to support their business with our money.

ETA: A lot of zoos now don't keep elephants any longer, because they are learning more and more about how much these animals need to roam and forage on a daily basis and no matter how big or close to nature it is, an enclosure at a zoo just doesn't suffice. I really appreciate PB&J for posting the link about the Detroit Zoo in particular.

Not all circuses treat animals badly. Usually if the elephants are on parade, they are in decent physical shape. Do some research on this particular circus and see if there have been complaints or actions taken by animal welfare societies. Seeing animals up close can also breed respect for other creatures, and that's what you want your kids to see, right? Many of these animals have been bred in captivity and cannot survive elsewhere.

However, there are many viewpoints that say it's inhumane to make animals perform in unnatural ways (chimps riding bikes, etc.) or living in captivity. But you've addressed some of that by taking the kids to the Bronx Zoo which is there to protect animals who cannot survive in the wild or to build understanding in humans about the many diverse species with whom they share this earth.

What you have here is a conflict between your childhood memories and your adult realities. This is a choice you and your husband have to make now, rather than preach one thing and then deny it when there's a cool event. Decide how to teach your kids balance, and then stick to your beliefs.

I do not go to the circus period. I find it heartbreaking.

I wouldn't do it. There's no rule that your kids HAVE to go to the circus. And why would you pay to go see something you don't agree with? Don't go against your conscience.

The Detroit zoo sent their elephants to a refuge in 2004 because they didn't think they coud adequately care for them. Think how much worse a circus must be. The link is to an old USA today article about it.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-05-20-detroit-zo...

I don't know that I found the circus to be an essential part of my childhood memories. I don't think I'll be taking my kids to one. They just seem loud and dirty/dusty and smelly. Animals can be seen at the zoo, and acrobatics/clowns/etc can be seen at other shows.

Not sure how old your kids are, but if you feel really strongly about taking them, you could talk to them about their experience and just use it as a teaching tool about the proper treatment of animals. Something along the lines of maybe how people USED to think of animals and this is why they have things like animal acts, and this is what YOUR family thinks. Use it as a conversation piece.

we do NOT do ringling brothers EVER, they are some sick individuals :(

If the animals are treated cruelly, then I would stay away. How about researching a circus or event that has a better track record, then making a trip out of it or waiting till they come closer?

I wouldn't take my daughter. It seems fun, but I absolutely don't agree with the circus, or the parading of elephants through the streets. It really hurts my heart every time I see animals like that. We went to a parade that the circus was part of and it was just very sad.

Well, I say stick with your convictions. I won't take my children to a circus that isn't animal free.

We took ours to the circus. I am also bothered by the whole animal/elephant treatment thing, although I think there is a median line between what animal-rights groups would have you think and what the circus PR people would have you think. I think both camps are on extreme opposite ends when the reality is somewhere in the middle.

I would take my kids to the parade at least. It's going to happen whether you go or not, and it sounds very cool! We took our boys to Ringling Bros. a few years ago, and we'll probably take them at least one more time while they're little. The youngest, who is three now, went with his preschool class to the Universoul Circus when it was in town last month, and they have tigers, dogs and elephants as well. The Big Apple Circus comes here every year, and they only use dogs I think, so you may want to check them out if you can't bring yourselves to go to Ringling Bros.

Perhaps, for me, the circus falls into that category like eating meat and wearing almost all of our clothes that are made by 8 year olds getting paid a nickel a day in SE Asia. It's nicer to enjoy it and not think too much about what actually goes on -and when possible to do what we can to help the situation (I do think that circuses, just like zoos, over the past 40 years have improved TREMENDOUSLY due to scrutiny and public demand). I eat all-natural, organic, grass-fed and free-range animal flesh, so it's healthier and nicer for the animal -but in the end the animal dies anyway. You just have to decide where on the spectrum you can be and be at peace with your decisions!

That's a toughy.

If you go to the March you are not giving the Circus money, so maybe that would be a compromise. If the kids see the cruelty then that's a part of a sometimes unjust world. You can get your kids to help by writing letters on behalf of the animals to organizations that may be able to help. It's a beginning in teaching your kids how to help repair our world.

I have not been to a circus with animals since I was 5. It was hard to see the action well, loud, and I was not impressed. I would continue to take her to the zoo and other places she could see elephants in a better environment. My DD is unlikely to go to a circus (at least not on my time) because I don't see the appeal (if she wants acrobatics Cirque du Soleil has that) and I don't like how they treat animals. If DD asks, I would be honest. "They don't treat their animals nicely and I don't think we should support them."

I have sworn off the circus for the same reason. I would never go. I see your dilemma though. Do you have someone that could take them for you? That way they can still enjoy it but you don't have to see it and those poor animals. I don't Plano. Taking my boys to the circus ever but we don't have one that comes to our town either.

Have you looked into this specific circus to see what they do/don't do? I would hate to think that ALL treat their animals poorly and get away with it. I have still not taken my son to the circus, mostly because I never went so it is not some big thing I think kids need to do because I is not memory of mine. In short, I suggest you look into the circus that is coming to your town and go from there.

What a great question. Personally, I have decided to never take my kids to a circus or a zoo, but if school (or some other group) were going, I'd offer the kids an option and let them decide. I don't know how old your kids are, but perhaps make other special plans the same day. Good luck. It's tough making the right decision sometimes.

I don't have quite the same level of conviction about this that you do, though it is something I think about and I prefer animal-free circuses. Also, while the Big Apple Circus is not animal-free, you could look into it and see if its practices are any better. That could be a compromise/alternative to Ringling. I can't remember if they have elephants.

Last year we took our kids to the elephant march -- probably the same one you are talking about, on LI near the Nassau coliseum. (We did not take them to the circus, though). There was a neat event at the LI Children's Museum beforehand, and then as we were filing out to the street to watch the elephant parade, there were people handing out stickers, comic books and coloring books. Turns out they were PETA volunteers, and the stuff was all about taking baby elephants from their moms and mistreating them. It was a pretty masterful tactic by PETA, I thought. All the kids wanted to get the stickers and books, and you couldn't easily tell from glancing at the covers what they were about.

The elephant "parade" took about one minute, and then everyone left. Kind of a letdown after all that build up.

Anyway, I thought it might help you to decide to know what it was like last year.

Some of my fondest memories were Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus events in the big tents. It's something a child never forgets. The animals are trained and if training is cruelty in your opinion then I guess you don't go.

Ringling Brothers is not as bad as some- the animals are pretty well treated(as well as a caged animal can be). We went to one of those "fairground" circuses honestly we had to walk out I have never felt so terrible my youngest boy wanted to go back later and "steal the elephants" honestly he had formulated a plan so they could come live in our yard which is bigger than where they were living. We dont go to the circus anymore.

We've had to confront this, too. In the end, we decided against taking our children. There are several animal-free circuses you could look into, but we do not want to support a business that mistreats animals. Good luck with your decision.

ETA: We are also vegetarians. ^_^