Animals In Entertainment

The Animal Justice Party (AJP) opposes the use of animals for entertainment.

The AJP believes that animals should be respected and cared for as individual, sentient beings with intrinsic value. They should never be forced to perform unnatural behaviours or goaded into dangerous or violent action for audience amusement.

Key Objectives

Ban any exploitation of animals in circuses and other interactive animal exhibits, wild animal ‘encounters’ and horse-drawn carriage rides.
Fund rehoming programs and sanctuaries for all animals involved in entertainment industries.
Until these industries are abolished, strengthen regulatory oversight of the public display, exhibition and use of animals in entertainment.
Redirect government funding and subsidies away from any industries that exploit animals for entertainment.

Background

Animals are exploited by entertainment businesses, such as performing animal circuses, horse-drawn carriage rides, marine parks, travelling farm shows and also as media performers in the TV and film industries.

Some practices have been banned in parts of Australia, while others have been limited. For example, horse-drawn carriage rides have been banned from Melbourne’s Central Business District as a result of advocacy from the Animal Justice Party and others.

Animals used in entertainment businesses face a range of issues that impact their health and wellbeing. Some of the main concerns are outlined below.

Petting zoos

Animals used in petting zoos will be killed when no longer cute. During their use they also experience a range of harmful conditions, including being regularly transported long distances, taken to new locations and contained in small areas with other stressed animals, subjected to crowds, which can be loud and may include overexcited children, and they are forced to be touched without choice or agency. Many of the types of animals used in petting zoos often prefer no or little contact with people, or only with those they know, e.g., rabbits. They are subjected to this day after day.

Physical and psychological health

Captive animals may suffer from physical health problems due to unsuitable living conditions, inappropriate diets and lack of veterinary care. They may also experience psychological harm from boredom, stress and social isolation, expressed through stress-related behaviours such as pacing, self-mutilation and aggression. Forced performances and stressful stimuli, such as noise or bright lights, can also harm their psychological wellbeing.

Animal injuries and deaths

Animals used in some entertainment industries are at persistent risk of injury and death. This is especially true for animals forced to race, such as horses and greyhounds. See our policies on Greyhound Racing and Horse Racing.

Transportation

Animals are often transported long distances for entertainment purposes. This can cause stress, exhaustion and injuries. Travelling in cramped conditions, motion sickness, frequent relocations, inadequate ventilation, loud noises and exposure to extreme temperatures can significantly compromise their wellbeing.

Breeding

Many industries that use animals for shows and exhibits engage in breeding programs, often breeding more animals than are needed. Breeding programs often involve separating mothers from their offspring, which creates suffering for both. Animals not needed may be killed, abandoned or end up in shelters. As a result, rehoming programs and shelters are struggling (see our Greyhound Racing and Horse Racing, Jumps, Harness policies).

Training methods

Training methods used in entertainment settings can involve coercion, punishment, food deprivation and fear.

Animals kept in facilities where they are trained to perform for visitors are often only fed as a reward during shows rather than when they are hungry. Other harmful training methods include ‘electric shocks, loud noises, squeezing the animal’s back, or threatening to capture them with a net’.

Fortunately, since 2021, circuses in Australia no longer use wild animals to perform - however, while the practice remains legal, there is a risk of wild animal circuses reemerging. Animals such as horses, dogs and goats still continue to be exploited in circus and agricultural shows, which can cause significant harm.

Regulatory oversight

Australia has no national legislation governing animal welfare. The regulation and monitoring of animal welfare is based on state and territory legislation. The AJP supports harmonising enforcement through the national framework outlined in our Animal Law Policy, including an Independent Office of Animal Protection in each state and territory, and a dedicated Minister for Animal Protection to coordinate laws and oversight across jurisdictions. In each of the 8 jurisdictions, secondary or subordinate forms of legislation known as regulations and codes of practice (CoPs) are given powers under the primary legislation. While CoPs are ‘not directly enforceable, they do provide a benchmark by which cases of alleged cruelty can be assessed under the relevant Act.’ Jurisdictions may have CoPs relevant to specific species or types of entertainment.

In summary, codes of practice protect people who treat animals in ways which might otherwise be illegal. For example, calf roping would be illegal outside of a rodeo setting.

There are also Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Exhibited Animals which, as of July 2024, are being considered for regulation by states and territories. Further, specific industries may have their own codes that cover the welfare of animals, such as the Film Industry Recommended Safety Code.

A study identified 201 pieces of subordinate legislation in force in early 2022. While not all relate directly to animals used in entertainment settings, it provides an indication of the large variation in codes and regulations across jurisdictions.

Conservation and education misrepresentation

Zoos and other groups involved in keeping wild animals captive claim to promote conservation and education. However, they often spend only a small proportion of their income on these initiatives. Many animals bred in captivity die on the rare occasion they are released to the wild. Evidence that zoo visitors learn about conservation and biodiversity is limited. Zoo visitors are mostly interested in larger mammals, or animals perceived to be entertaining and cute, which may encourage periodic breeding. Mostly, people report that a visit to the zoo is primarily a social activity (see our Zoos Policy).

Overall, conservation and education claims are unsupported by evidence and do not justify the exploitation of animals for entertainment purposes.

Cultural and social norms

The use of animals in entertainment is often justified based on cultural traditions, social norms and perceived economic benefits. We should move on from cruelty, regardless of its profitability or the length of its history, as we have done with dog and rooster fights.