At ARK II Canadian Animal Rights Network, we believe that animals are not here to perform, amuse, or decorate human spaces. They exist for their own purposes, to live freely, express natural behaviours, and thrive in their native habitats.
Animals are not entertainers.
Yet, across Canada and around the world, countless animals are still confined, trained, and exploited for human amusement - in circuses, zoos, aquariums, marine “parks,” films, television, commercials, and travelling animal shows.
ARK II is opposed to the use of animals in all forms of entertainment. What appears to be harmless family fun often hides a reality of fear, isolation, and suffering. It’s time to look behind the curtain and ask what the price of our amusement really is, and who pays it.
The Cruelty Behind the Curtain: Animals in Circuses
Circuses were once seen as a magical escape - a world of wonder, laughter, and excitement. But for the animals forced to perform, the circus is a life of confinement and coercion.
Elephants, lions, tigers, and bears do not naturally balance on balls, jump through rings of fire, or ride bicycles. These tricks are the result of intensive, often violent training, involving whips, bullhooks, electric prods, and fear-based punishment.
The animals spend most of their lives in small transport cages or chains, travelling thousands of kilometres each year in trucks and trailers. They endure extreme temperatures, long hours of confinement, and complete deprivation of natural behaviours like roaming, socializing, and foraging.
The good news: public opinion has changed.
Canada has seen several provinces and municipalities, including Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and many Ontario cities, ban the use of wild animals in circuses. In 2019, the federal Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act marked a major step toward ending animal exploitation for entertainment.
ARK II continues to advocate for a nationwide ban on the use of wild and exotic animals in circuses and travelling shows. Entertainment should inspire, not exploit.
Zoos: A Life Sentence for Display
Many zoos promote themselves as centers for education and conservation. But for the animals inside, zoos are often lifelong prisons disguised as parks.
Wild animals are confined to artificial enclosures that cannot replicate the complexity of their natural environments. Polar bears, who roam thousands of kilometres in the Arctic, pace endlessly in small enclosures; elephants suffer from foot disease and arthritis due to hard surfaces; great apes exhibit stress behaviours like rocking or self-harm.
True conservation happens in the wild, not behind glass walls. Captive breeding rarely contributes to rewilding or ecosystem restoration, most zoo-born animals will never see their natural habitat.
In Canada, tragic incidents have raised awareness of the suffering behind zoo gates. The Marineland controversies in Niagara Falls, and the closure of Bowmanville Zoo after abuse charges, have exposed the deep ethical problems in captive animal entertainment.
ARK II supports transitioning away from traditional zoos toward sanctuaries, virtual experiences, and wildlife education centres that do not breed, trade, or exploit animals for display.
Marine “Parks”: Empty Tanks, Empty Promises
Dolphins and whales are among the most intelligent beings on Earth - capable of emotion, self-awareness, and complex social bonds. In marine parks, they are trapped in barren tanks for life, far removed from the vast, dynamic oceans where they belong.
Captive whales suffer from chronic stress, collapsed dorsal fins, dental injuries, and premature death. The social deprivation is profound, many were torn from their families in violent captures, a trauma they never recover from.
Thanks to tireless activism by organizations including ARK II, Canada became a global leader when it passed Bill S-203, the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act (2019). This historic legislation made it illegal to capture, breed, or import cetaceans for entertainment in Canada.
However, loopholes still exist, allowing facilities like Marineland to continue holding animals already in captivity. ARK II supports the retirement and relocation of captive marine mammals to seaside sanctuaries, where they can live out their lives in peace and dignity.
Animals on Screen: The Hidden Toll of “Movie Magic”
From commercials to feature films, animals have long been used to capture attention and emotion on screen. But behind the lights and cameras, many endure neglect and distress.
Even with trainers present, film and television productions can expose animals to stressful environments, loud noises, repeated takes, and unnatural conditions. The push for “authentic” animal performances often leads to coercive training and dangerous stunts.
Thankfully, technology now provides a humane alternative. Advances in computer-generated imagery (CGI), motion capture, and AI-assisted animation allow filmmakers to create realistic animal characters without using live animals at all. Productions like The Jungle Book (2016) and The Lion King (2019) have proven that compassion and creativity can coexist, and even flourish.
ARK II calls on the Canadian entertainment industry to commit fully to animal-free production standards, following international examples set by the American Humane Association and the UK’s RSPCA guidelines.
Travelling Animal Shows and Petting Zoos: Exploitation on the Move
Travelling menageries, roadside attractions, and petting zoos continue to exploit animals under the guise of education and family fun. Yet these operations often lack professional oversight, veterinary care, and suitable living conditions.
Animals are confined in cramped cages, forced to endure transport stress, and exposed to loud crowds and handling. The constant travel denies them stability and natural behaviours, leading to fear and aggression.
In Canada, the mobile zoo and exotic pet trade remains poorly regulated. ARK II supports provincial and federal legislation to ban travelling animal acts and exhibitions, replacing them with educational programs that celebrate wildlife without exploitation, such as interactive digital exhibits, nature films, and augmented-reality experiences.
Changing the Narrative: From Exploitation to Empathy
For centuries, humans have used animals for amusement — often believing they were teaching appreciation for nature. But what are we really teaching children when they see wild animals in cages or performing tricks?
We teach them that domination is entertainment.
We teach them that freedom can be traded for curiosity.
We teach them that animals exist for our pleasure.
It’s time to change that story. True education and wonder come from observing animals in the wild, supporting sanctuaries, and using modern storytelling tools that inspire empathy rather than enforce captivity.
What You Can Do
- Avoid circuses, zoos, and marine parks that use live animals. Support only sanctuaries and ethical experiences.
- Speak out when you see animals exploited in entertainment, write to event organizers, producers, or city councils.
- Support animal-free films and productions, and celebrate directors who use CGI instead of live animals.
- Encourage humane education in schools to teach children respect for wildlife.
- Share awareness through social media, compassion grows when it’s seen and spoken.
A Future Without Chains or Cages
Entertainment should uplift, not oppress. It should celebrate the beauty of animals, not turn them into performers.
At ARK II, we envision a future where Canadian families enjoy experiences that awaken empathy, virtual safaris, immersive documentaries, and sanctuary livestreams that connect people to nature without causing harm.
When we remove animals from the stage, we don’t lose the magic, we rediscover it. The most extraordinary show on Earth is happening right now, in the wild places that still remain. Let’s protect them, and the beings who call them home.