Although many people are very familiar with racism and sexism, too many people are unfamiliar with speciesism. Speciesism is the discrimination of one species over another; more specifically, it is the human species in the exploitation of other animals. Animals are forced to participate in many unnatural activities in the entertainment and science worlds. One of the most torturous of these activities is the circus. As a result of inhumane treatment and conditions, animals should no longer be forced to perform in this family event. Instead, people should try alternative means of being entertained.
             Despite people's awareness of the harsh conditions circus animals endure, the actual freeing of the animals poses a difficult task. In "Animal Liberation," Peter Singer explained, "Animal Liberation will require greater altruism on the part of mankind than any other liberation movement, since animals are incapable of demanding it for themselves, or of protesting against their exploitation by votes, demonstrations, or bombs" (150). Since animals cannot speak for themselves, some people are not aware of their inadequate housing, poor medical care, and abusive trainers.
             Regardless of the amount of training these performance animals tolerate, their wild animal natural instincts remain deep within their psychological system. " 'We are forcing wild animals to do unnatural things,' said Shelagh MacDonald, program director of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. Other critics claim that caged animals, driven by instinct to roam free, often suffer from boredom, disorientation and self mutilation" (Brady 48). Zoe Weil, author of Animals in Society, explained how circus animals are declawed and defanged which is an obvious infringement on the animals' normality. (Motavalli 31) In a natural environment, when an animal is frightened, it either runs to hide or prepares to defend itself. Consequently, performing in a circus makes thi...