Animal captivity for the purpose of entertainment and tourism needs to be banned globally. Animals kept in places like Sea World, zoo's, wild animal parks, circus', and "animal sanctuaries" in travel destinations across the globe, suffer abuse and starvation. Inhumane practices are used to train the animals into submission to perform.  

  For decades, orcas have been a top tourist attraction at Sea World. They are kept in tanks that do not provide the open space they need to thrive and live a full life. Orcas in the wild can swim up to 100 miles a day. The need for that kind of freedom and exercise has caused some orcas in captivity to turn on their trainers, as well as other orcas. Giraffes are always a must see attraction at many zoos, typically living in pairs. However, in the wild, giraffes are by nature very social and travel in large herds. Zoo life limits their socialization. Although zoos in the United States adhere to stricter regulations and have larger enclosures, it is still not the space and freedom the animals need and deserve. 

  Thailand has become a major tourist attraction, widely known for it's many elephant exhibits, shows, and locations that allow up close contact with elephants and tigers. Some locations allow visitors to hold tiger cubs. In order for that to be possible, the cubs are taken from their mothers at birth and placed in cages. After a few months the cubs become to big to handle and new infant cubs are brought in. This constant rotation and breeding of new cubs is creating more animals that are being abused and mistreated.  Unbeknownst to many paying tourists, these animals are docile and allow the contact because of abuse to make them submit. Many handlers use sticks with large metal hooks on the end that they poke the animals with to make them "perform". Sadly, this kind of treatment is currently legal in many countries that have these for profit shows. Behind the scenes away from the tourists, the animals are kept on short chains and/or cages. Many animals in captivity experience zoochosis. Zoochosis can cause pacing and circling, jumping up and down repeatedly, tongue-playing and bar-biting, neck twisting, head-bobbing, weaving and swaying, rocking, overgrooming and self-mutilation, vomiting and regurgitating and unnatural activities involving feces, e.g. eating it, playing with it or smearing feces on walls.  

My hope is to raise awareness of the plight of animals in captivity. We can fight for stricter laws and regulations by our lawmakers, for facilities to provide safer, freer living conditions. We can donate our time, money and resources to foundations that protect wildlife. If people stop visiting these tourist attractions, creating profits for corporations, they will be forced to adhere or shut down. Please join me and sign this petition to end animal captivity.