Persuasive Essay Example: Zoos Should Be Illegal

Envision yourself being snatched from your house, family, your surroundings and being thrown in a small enclosure where everyone is glaring, taking photographs, and enjoying themselves. Because you’re becoming too costly to feed and care for, your owners transfer you to a horrible zoo where animals only get fed from time to time. Despite this, many people think having zoo’s is not a problem. There are both positive reasons and negative reasons for animals living in zoos. One benefit being, animals which are endangered can be saved by transferring them to a safe area away location from poachers, habitat damage, starvation, and other animals. In addition, some zoos aid in the restoration of wildlife and welcome animals that people don’t want or can’t look after anymore. Though this is a controversial topic, and many people also believe that zoos are unfair, and it is cruel to keep animals caged away. People argue that these animal exhibits must be abolished globally as the animals are housed in unhealthy environments, zoos kill or sell on their oversupply of animals and when animals are traded to other zoos or sold, multigenerational relationships are lost. For number of reasons, I strongly believe that zoos are bad for both the public and animals.

One of the most critical reasons it is important to allow zoos to remain open is that they can help save some species from extinction.  Animals in the wild can be hunted and killed by any predator who poses a danger to their survival. ‘Zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) annually invest nearly $50 million to protect over 200 species listed as endangered or threatened.’  Their native habitats, which are in danger for a multitude of reasons, cannot ensure safety whereas a zoo can safeguard a species survival. Some of these institutions also have breeding operations for species which are endangered, as they sometimes find difficulty reproducing which can lead to extinction. In addition, if an animal becomes ill, it can be quickly treated and offered a healthier diet within a zoo. And, in the twenty-first century there are enclosures which can be customised to meet the demands of the animal. Therefore, some may say animals are safer within a zoo. 

Zoos may appear to be enjoyable to visit and see the animals, but what most people overlook is the agony and depression that these vulnerable creatures are experiencing. Animals have emotions, feelings, and the ability to love. They have fundamental rights, and it is an outrageous effort for any human to deny them of their rights. Dazzling camera flashes can startle animals, and people enjoy photographing everything that piques their curiosity, particularly animals. An American company SeaWorld, often find themselves in the headlines for these cruel reasons. In one instance, ‘An orca named Shamu performed in the first-ever orca show at SeaWorld in 1965. She’d been abducted from her mother—and during her capture, her mother was shot with a harpoon and killed right in front of her. Shamu died six years later’ . Cruel, shocking, and heartless. To this day, SeaWorld still get away with similar practices. I believe there should be more laws and restrictions in place to keep our animals safe. In terms of animal rights, even although our wildlife is endangered, we do not have the right to take these animals from their home, imprison them, and force them to reproduce. Simply being part of an endangered species, does not imply that the animal should have inferior rights. 

The federal Animal Welfare Act, which has established regulations for animal care, and governs the accredited and unaccredited animal exhibitions. There are rules in place to ensure animal safety. In addition, the association of Zoos and Aquariums adheres respected zoos to rigorous requirements regarding the handling of the care of its occupying animals. As per the AZA, the accreditation guarantees that organisations have been put through a thorough assessment by acknowledged professionals in order to achieve the highest quality standards of ‘animal management and care, including living environments, social groupings, health and nutrition.’  These governing bodies provide people comfort in knowing that zoos are not participating in cruel activities and the animals have care provided for them. 

However, the rules under the Animal welfare Act are the most basic rules for; enclosure sizing, health care requirements, ventilation, nutrition, shelter, nutrition, water, and fencing are established. For example, one requirement states that enclosures must be able to deliver ‘sufficient space to allow each animal to make normal postural and social adjustments with adequate freedom of movement. Inadequate space may be indicated by evidence of malnutrition, poor condition, debility, stress, or abnormal behaviour patterns.’  There is no quality of life for the animals living here, this only covers basic animal rights. Therefore, these regulations do not ensure that these animals are shown great love and care, merely they are just provided enough to survive.

Infant animals yield customers and income, though this motivation to reproduce new-born animals results in overcrowding. Excess animals are sometimes traded to other zoos, alternative means of zoo population reduction include trading the animals to circuses, and hunting institutions. As cruel as it is, some zoos outright kill their unwanted animals.  In exceedingly most of animal breeding operations, animals are not returned to their wildlife. All of which are inhuman and evil. It is horrible to think that these animals mean that little to some humans that their life is worth nothing less than to be killed. The nature of zoo’s leads to overpopulation, which leads to this surplus. This is dangerous as the animals could end up in the care of the wrong hands and end up being mistreated. Moreover, when some animals are sold on or transferred to another zoo, they are being taken away from animals they may have spent the majority of their life with, including their family. These multigenerational relationships are lost which can hugely impact on the animal. Could you imagine being taken away from your whole family? How is this any different?

Overall, I think the issues associated with zoos unquestionably outweigh the benefits that are provided. It is unfair to lock up animals and keep them in confined spaces simply for our own entertainment. We are depriving these animals of their rights and ability to enjoy their life. They should be treated with respect. If there were laws passed to impose strict governance on the welfare of animals, which were followed internationally to ensure that all zoo’s are of a high standard and provide animals a great quality of life, I would possibly reconsider my opinion. However, until something is done to provide all animals with the utmost care and protection, I do not think that Zoos should be legal to operate.