PERFORMING ANIMALS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sta,—Lord Lonsdale writes a very plausible defence of the Circus with its performing animals, but I do not see that he has made out a good case for their justification. It may pos- sibly be that the show at Olympia is one of the best of its kind. It may also be that the curious friendship between a particular horse and a particular tiger is of long standing. But these exceptional things do not in the least justify circuses in general nor the exploiting of animals under unnatural con- ditions for gain. Rather do they make the matter worse ; for such freakish companionships may be emulated by the smaller showman for his smaller circus, and may involve great cruelty and brutality in the endeavour to go one better in what seems unnatural and exciting.
Everyone knows that even apart from the training, the conditions of moving circus life constitute a cruelty in them- selves. Everyone also knows that the crux of the cruelty question lies in the fact that the turn must not fail.
Anyone who understands animals can teach them clever tricks. I have had dogs which have done delightful amateur ._" turns," but it was always understood that the whole thing was a game and that a failure would not be a dire affair. In the circus the animal must know, that failure will indeed be a very dire affair.
There does not exist an argument which can really justify these performances. And sooner or later they will disappear in the same way that other cruelties have done, through the enlightening of public opinion.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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