Animals used for Entertainment

Last updated 29 November 2021

Circuses

Lions and monkeys are common exotic animals who feature in animal circuses alongside domestic animals. They are routinely subjected to months on the road confined in small, barren cages as the circus travels from state to state in Australia. The enclosures they live in deny them every opportunity to express their natural behaviours. During the circus performance animals are forced to perform ...

Greyhound Racing

In 2015, the live baiting scandal brought to light the plethora of animal welfare issues that are inherent to the greyhound racing industry. Since then, the industry has been under increased scrutiny from the general public. Unfortunately live baiting is but one of the animal welfare issues associated with this cruel ‘sport’. Over-breeding, euthanasia of healthy animals, injuries on an...

Horse Racing

Rodeos

Rodeos are a country ‘family entertainment’ competition spectacle. These are some of the typical events during these spectacles: Steer RopingSteer is the term given to a male bovine when he is no longer a calf, younger than 2 years, and has also been castrated.These young individuals are kept in pens at one end of a rodeo arena behind the starting boxes until it is their turn to &lsq...

Zoos

There are roughly 100 zoos and aquariums in Australia. These range from large facilities like SeaWorld (on the Gold Coast), which keeps polar bears and dolphins captive, to small zoos such as Gorge Wildlife Park in South Australia, with monkeys and birds to be spectacles for everyday attendees. Zoos are notorious for keeping animals in enclosures a fraction of the size of the animals' natural envi...