Tell Disney to Use New Dumbo Movie to Spread Truth About Circus Animal Abuse!

Dumbo, a Disney classic from 1941, told the story of a lovable baby circus elephant whose huge ears might have made him the target of ridicule, but they also turned out to be quite magical and enabled him to fly. The film put elephants (flying or not) at the center of attention and became a staple among children’s movies, teaching young viewers many valuable lessons. One of them was the lesson of compassion, and it is compassion that really should be put in the spotlight now, as Dumbo is being remade. This time, the lesson of compassion should be extended for all circus animals whose plight is painfully real.

The animated Dumbo and his companions were forced to perform tricks in front of big noisy crowds, otherwise risking the punishment of a bullhook or a whip. This part of the cartoon characters’ lives had nothing to do with fiction – circus elephants across the globe are being kept in inadequate conditions, exploited for human entertainment, and treated with violence. Elephants used in circuses are separated from their mothers, bound by chains, endlessly transported from place to place, and quickly start showing concerning signs of zoochosis. Even though wild elephants spend most of their days walking and socializing, circus elephants have no way to exhibit that natural behavior. During “training”, those emotional and intelligent animals are being “broken” with a bullhook that is used to poke and hit them in order to reinforce desired behaviors.

Exploiting wild animals in circuses has no educational value and is not connected to Conservation – it is pure exploitation for the benefit of people’s entertainment. It is time to realize that animals’ suffering is not something that should be reinforced as entertaining – and especially not for children.

The new Dumbo movie, directed by Tim Burton and scheduled to be released in 2019, will certainly attract a huge audience, and the teaser trailer for the picture has already gone viral. Although it is not yet certain how the concept of a circus with performing animals will be treated in the movie, the teaser has already caused some concerns. Hopefully, the film will not propagate the fantasy of the circus being a glamorous and happy place for the animals and cause a resurgence in the popularity of circuses – since the animals’ reality in those facilities is so very far from anything magical or fairy-tale-like. The release of the movie is a great opportunity to talk about the issue of animal abuse in circuses – and it is an opportunity that really should be seized.

The Care2 petition launched in the case asks Disney to recognize their responsibility to drive awareness around the issue of abuse of elephants in circuses and Donate a portion of the proceeds from the film to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Click here to sign it and voice your Support for the idea!

Image source: Disney Movie Trailers/Youtube