As public outcry against animal cruelty has been prevailing in recent years, I question how and why in 2016 it is still acceptable to imprison wild animals for our entertainment. 

Cecil the Lion, killed a year and a half ago saw the biggest global response to a wildlife story, yet we still hold captive wild animals, in climates that are not suitable for them! We were outraged by Marius' killing in 2012, a young male Giraffe who lived at Copenhagen Zoo, killed due to being 'genetically unsuitable for future breeding'. Harambe was killed only this May after a child fell into his inclosure at Cincinnati Zoo, again this saw social media and news outlets blow up with outrage... yet still it is acceptable to enclose these beautiful wild animals, why don't we show the same outrage for imprisoned animals?! Why aren't we providing a voice to the voiceless? 

If you believe the argument that Zoos assist in conservation, then you are mistaken. The BBC's 'Horizon' documentary found that 90% of species kept in Zoos are not endangered. It also concluded, that Elephants in Zoos live only half as long as wild elephants! And lastly, that "Between 3,000 and 5,000 healthy “surplus” animals are “culled” (ie, killed) by European zoos each year."

Most people will go to the Zoo to see animals that you can only find across the other side of the world. Surely this already forces us to consider that these wild animals who roam freely, have been taken out of their natural habitat and caged  purely for our benefit? All for a couple of minutes of us peering through bars at them or children banging on their enclosure walls for them to do something entertaining. This is extremely unnatural. 

Peta make the compelling argument "Captive animals are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them, and as a result, they become bored and lonely and many even suffer from a condition called “zoochosis.” I am sure that if you have been to a Zoo you will have witnessed animals swaying back and forth.. In cases where the public have began to catch on, Zoo's have been giving the animals mood-altering drugs, such as Prozac. 

"The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes owners and keepers responsible for ensuring that the welfare needs of their animals are met. These include the need:

for a suitable environment (place to live)
for a suitable diet
to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
to be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
to be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease"

How can it be ignored that a cage is not a suitable environment for an Elephant who needs to walk 30 miles a day. That they are forced to live in barns because the climate is too cold, in turn causing arthritis, not to mention other ailments that are caused due to such poor living conditions. Just take a look at Lucy the Elephant who has spent her last 7 years in solitary confinement at Edmonton Zoo.

PMFA interviews face-to-face over 4000 adults in the UK each year to learn about our pet population, "in 2015 it is estimated that 12m (46% of) households have pets." ... this most likely means if you don't have a pet, a friend or family member most likely does? So I will appeal to the animal loving UK that we are. Think about your beloved pet (or one close to you) you know that animal's likes and dislikes, you know when they are sad, when they are happy, they're part of the family, right? Imagine they are taken away from you, locked up and put in a cage so that other's can marvel at their beauty, taken out of their beloved home, place in solitary confinement for others entertainment...

Please join me in fighting this cause! The UK government need to put in place stricter legislation and ban Zoo's and animal captivation! Animals, just like us, fear death, pain and lonlieness. who gave us the power to decide that they are here for our entertainment purposes. Does the benefit of seeing these beautiful animals in the flesh, outweighs the cost of their happiness and freedom?!!