Birds are gentle, delicate and charming animals. They do not want to ride bicycles, stand on their heads, balance on balls or jump through rings of fire, but birds in circuses have no choice. Trainers use abusive tools, including whips and electric prods, to force them to perform. These animals also suffer from loneliness, boredom and frustration from being locked in cramped cages or chained for months on end as they travel from city to city. Instead of being loaded and unloaded like mere furniture into the trucks and warehouses, these animals should be in their natural habitat- exploring, seeking mates and raising families. Even better, they deserve love and affection from the humans when kept as pets.
Birds in circuses lead an endless life of torture and confinement. They are forcefully trained and compelled to perform under the threat of beatings. Circuses portray a distorted view of the birds- limiting their access to the basic necessities of food and drink, unjustly treating them, gifted with harsh abuses and intolerable seclusion at any point of time. They are bound to suffer. Birds in circuses are also kept in horrendous conditions. They are kept in confinement and their wings are clipped to stop them from flying away. They are abandoned if the circus cannot afford them anymore.

Roosters are often raised for fighting. They are kept in strong enclosures and tormented to make them more aggressive. Razor sharp spurs are attached to the bird’s feet to make fights more exciting. The birds suffer from broken wings and legs, fractured, punctured lungs, severed spinal cords and gouged-out eyes. Those who die during or after the fight can be called the lucky ones because the survivors are forced to fight again. Although cockfighting is illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960, many birds are forced to fight to death every year in different parts of the country. Gambling is the rule of cockfighting. Young children find such bird fights very fascinating which is another way for showing insensitiveness towards animal suffering and result in further kinds of cruelty and maltreatment for the birds.
“But for the use for physical punishment by, and fear of their oppressors; animals would never be a part of circus”, Richard Pryor, an American actor and comedian once quoted. Life in circus is miserable. Forcing to do certain activities only for the sake of the fun of others is an extreme cruel attitude of the humans deserves no applaud. Birds are sensitive and belong to the wild nature. They should be free. Birds look lovely when they are unloosened and fly around liberately.

Many types like Harrier birds, Parrots, Macaws are popularly known to be kept in circuses and their fate is inter-wined with the tragic circus life for ages. This however comes with limited refinements and absolute nil license to independence. Have you ever given it a thought that despite the showy advertisements, circus life is agonizing. Barbarity and fear tactics, intimidation is what they rely on to force birds to unnatural and confusing tricks. They do not get love and care. They probably even do not know what it is. Instead of slowly progressing towards a brutal death, birds need a home to survive and someone to take care of it well. It is only the humans who can be the best caretakers for them, not through beatings but rather tender care and concern. Adding a new pet bird to your family brings lots of happiness and joy along with it. They are perfect pets that will fit with your lifestyle without taking much time. Apartment living makes the birds look attractive and they shine in glory. They are always brimming with energy and we make sure to channel their efficacy in the correct direction, without any force or bestiality.

There are several reasons why birds don’t belong to the circus.
* Birds are extremely intelligent animals. They have a remarkable capacity to learn new things. They use their brains differently. They make a delightful pet to owners dedicated to constantly enriching the bird’s environment. How much fun would it be to have a pet actually talk to you.
*Birds are easier to care as pets. All they need is love and consideration. They do not need much attention throughout the day. Daily walks or feeding is not a headache. While it’s true that a bird can stay free inside a house, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are less demanding. Birds aren’t pretty cage ornaments. So while the cage is a convenient confinement, long hours inside a cage, unattended, is not healthy for your bird.
*Birds are easy to train since they love to learn and grab attention from humans. Training is given for the sense of plain fun. But we cannot plan for her all by ourselves. Birds learn things according to their capacity.
*Birds are interesting to have around. They are incredibly beautiful and vibrantly coloured. Their behaviour is fun to observe and lower our stress level. Birds are not the home decor. They are not the feathered equivalent of a brightly coloured aquarium fish. They are every bit as high maintenance as other type of pets.
*Birds have lot of energy and need space to burn it out. A small cage may not be suitable for your pet and its not acceptable to keep it solely in a cage. Cages should be the largest ones we can afford, not what cage fits in the smallest area.
*Birds are inexpensive to feed. It’s best to feed a high quality diet of species-specific commercial pelleted food (not seed mix) fruits, veggies and sprouted grains. Feathered pets also need annual medical examinations from an avain veterinarian to monitor their health.
*Birds do not require much grooming. They are naturally clean and when happy they have a good jov of keeping their feather coats shinny through preening. Just a bath for your pet in plain, tepid, clean filtered water is all they need as
pampering.
*Birds are extremely social animals. You need to spend a significant time interacting with your inquisitive exotic bird. Treating them as family members in the fullest sense- keeping them outside the cage for several hours- helps them merge in your surroundings better. Caging your bird all the 24 hours can make it unhappy and self-destructive. An opportunity to interact, frequent mental stimulation and environmental enrichment are sure not to develop emotional troubles and harmful behaviour.
Hence a zoo or a circus is never an apt place for any bird. In zoos, they are housed inappropriately. Often predators are kept in close proximity to the animals who are their natural prey- a situation which causes extreme stress to both the animals. Many birds have no shelter to protect themselves from harsh weather conditions. They are observed eating rotten food, debris. Visitors often taunt, abuse, mistreat, feed the birds with no personnel check. Countless birds are given no food and water. Every facility is seriously deficient. Also trading of pets is a burning issue that needs immediate concern. It is estimated that for every bird sold in the market, four die en route. Fledgings are stolen from their nests and smuggled to overseas markets in cartons and some even rolled up inside socks to transport to cities. They are doomed for a lifetime in crammed, clipped to scissors and can hardly stretch their wings.
The word ‘captive’ does not exist in the dictionary of the house birds. Its only love, affection, care and attention they know about. Circuses are prisons for the bird’s, human homes bring heavenly pleasure for them.

The post BIRD’S ARE NOT MEANT FOR THE CIRCUS appeared first on Pet Attack.

We have gone through quite a few myths about dogs. So now I have brought to you more myths. But this time, its regarding our feline friends. Read on and find out if what you have been thinking about your cat is a fact or just another misconception.
Cat myths
1. If a black cat crosses your path, it is considered to be bad luck

This has got to be the most famous myth about cats. It originated centuries ago when black cats were associated with black magic and witchcraft. However, in the modern times we have to understand that the poor little creature does not choose it colour. A black cat is just like any other cat and there is absolutely nothing supernatural about it.

2. Cats hate water
Disliking water is not a characteristic of cats. Just like us humans, different cats have different likes and dislikes. Some cats detest water while some others find it intriguing to play with running water from the tap or the shower or even water fountains.

3. Cats always land on their feet

Cats have got fast reflexes and they are good at balancing themselves. So usually when they fall from a height they need the time to adjust themselves to fall feet first. This is not possible is they fall from a very small height. But if they fall from a great height they can sustain internal or external injuries and also broken bones, teeth and palates.

4. Cats scratch objects to sharpen their claws
Generally cats scratch due to two reasons. Firstly they scratch objects near their territory to mark them visually and by scent so that other cats will know another cat had been there. Secondly, they might scratch to remove loose fragments of nail sheath.

5. Cats smother sleeping babies

It is not the intention of cats to kill babies and they never smother them on purpose. Cats love warmth and so they want to cuddle with babies. But sometimes since cats are huger than little babies, they might happen to harm them. That is why it is advisable not to leave both unattended.

6. Cats are independent and do not need attention
Some cats may be aloof but many others are very loving. If you are a busy person and cannot devote much time to your cat then it is better if you do not have any pets. Or you must at least have another person or cat to keep the first cat company while you are not around. Otherwise, it might suffer from depression.

7. Cats are lazy and they sleep all the time
A minimum of 14 hours of sleep is needed for cats. This helps them to maintain good health and keep their body in good balance. If they cannot sleep for a long time then they might face health problems and become irritated, increasingly sensitive and aggressive in behaviour. It will also affect their capacity to learn.

8. Indoor cats cannot get diseases or fleas
Diseases and fleas can also be passed on to indoor cats by different things they come in contact with. Fleas and ticks can inter the house via the owner’s shoes or clothing. Diseases can be passed on to indoor cats through the organisms that are carried by the air. Therefore it is important to take care and also to get them vaccinated regularly.

9. Pregnant women must avoid cats

Pregnant women can take care of their cats without having to worry about contracting toxoplasmosis. It is the litter box of the cats that they must stay away from as toxoplasmosis (a disease of cats that can harm unborm babies) spreads through faeces and litter.

10. Cats cannot be trained
While the same training methods that are used for dogs cannot be used for cats, it is true that felines can be trained. Cats are independent and less social than dogs. So they may not be very easy to train. However, it is not an impossible task.

11. Cats are nocturnal
Most cats are crepuscular, not nocturnal. Crepuscular species that are active primarily during twilight. Cats are most active during dawn or dusk because in the wild, even their prey is active at those times. But due to this they must not be left outside during the nights as in the present times it might prove to be dangerous for them.

12. Declawing is like trimming nails
It is absolutely not so. Declawing is not just the removing of claws but also the surgical amputation of the first joint of each toe of the cat. It is extremely painful and inhumane to the little animal. Since cats walk on their toes, it becomes very painful for them to walk after being declawed. Some cats may not fully recover from this and will develop behavioural problems. Hence, instead of getting them declawed, it is better to trim their claws a little or use Soft Paws.

It is important for us to stop relying on such myths and many more as in many cases, it will affect our treatment towards our pets. Sometimes, it might even be bad for their health. So we must always take care when it comes to myths and facts about our pets.

The post Kitty Myths appeared first on Pet Attack.