The Law as it Stands Today


   There are laws and statues set up for animal cruelty, such as the Federal Animal Welfare Act, but this is not enough. There are criminal laws that say it must prove, according to The Federal Animal Welfare Act, that a defendant engaged in an unlawful act. It also must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant imposed pain and suffering, and that "he did it so maliciously, willfully, intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or negligently."  The problem is that if a defendant inflicts pain or suffering on an animal as part of an "accepted institutional  use of animals," it is very difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant acted with the requisite mental state to justify the charge of criminal liability." In other words, these animal abusers never get charged and the cycle continues because the law is weak.

    The Federal Government must pass a bill banning animals from performing at circuses. The current law states that property owners will act in their best economic interests and will not intentionally inflict pain and suffering on animals, unless they at least believe that it will serve some purpose. This seems ridiculous, the government is basically saying that abusing animals is justified by a personal gain. This is why it is hard to prove a defendant acted negligently. It is presumed that the property owner will act rationally and not impose unnecessary damage on his animals because it would not be in his best interest to do so. This is not the case, owners have no way of training wild animals without abusing them. These animals are not meant to jump through fire, listen to commands, or be chained up when they are not performing.

     A method owners use when they train animals is to dominate them. If the animal becomes untrainable the owner will force them to perform and use scare tactics to show who's in control. The Federal Government needs to send these abused animals to sanctuaries. The cycle of abuse must stop.

    One of the ways you can help, is to speak to a legislative member in your area who has an interest in the ban and lobby for the cause. Peitions are another effective tool, every little bit helps, so get out there and voice your opinion.


Check out the sources I used!