Kennesaw State Students should stop to consider how unethical it is to keep animals in captivity before planning trips to their local zoos.
Zoos say their main goal is to conserve and protect animals, but that is not always the case. According to National Geographic, “a zoo is a place where animals live in captivity and are put on display for people to view.”
Animals need ample room to move around in order to be stable, and in most zoos, this is not the case. It is important that zoo staff provides the animals with mental stimulation or else it can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health problems like zoochosis.
Animals deserve respect, and often they are held in captivity for their entire life for research or simply for human pleasure. The unpleasant effects of keeping animals in zoos outweigh the entertainment zoo’s provide. Humans can conduct research and better understand the species in a zoo, but at the cost of the animal’s well-being and mental health.
Students can still have the opportunity to enjoy the sight of these animals in a more ethical way by visiting an animal sanctuary or a wildlife rehabilitation center.
According to Treehugger, “a true sanctuary does not buy, sell, or breed animals, but instead takes in unwanted exotic pets, surplus animals from zoos, or injured wildlife that can no longer survive in the wild.”
Animal sanctuaries tend to offer wildlife a place to live if they cannot survive on their own. The animals are never bred to live in captivity, instead, they are rescued and offered plenty of room to thrive.
Some animal sanctuaries that are open for visitation in Georgia areNoah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary,Sweet Olive Farm Animal Rescue and AWARE Wildlife Center.
