An animal performer’s life in a circus is anything but glamorous, and keeping them captive for the sake of entertainment should no longer be tolerated.
When Mufasa, a mountain lion chained for 20 years in a Peruvian circus was first rescued by Animal Defenders International, you could see in his eyes how his spirit was absolutely crushed. Listless and perhaps clueless, and used to having many staring eyes on him, he watches on as his rescue unfolds, and it is about to change his life forever.
It’s cited in DoSomething.org that major circuses have violated the minimal standards of care for their animal performers set by the United States Animal Welfare (AWA). It is very likely that these animals are first broken to ensure their obedience, and then trained by whips and other dreadful and painful tools. They would spend most of their lives in chains and cages, and the quality of how they are transported from one place to another as the circus travels are far from ideal. It is also very likely that the same cruel treatment are experienced by animals in circuses around the world.
Mufasa has been finally released into the Peruvian forest through efforts of ADI and the locals alike. He seems to be in disbelief as he experiences freedom for the first time in 20 years, but you could at last see the light returning to his eyes as he roams the greenery to his heart’s content.
This beautiful mountain lion has since passed away on December 2015, but this video shows how human kindness can still triumph over human ruthlessness, and that initiatives for the rescue of circus animals should be whole-heartedly supported.
This article (Watch: The Rescue of This Mountain Lion, Chained For 20 Years In A Circus, Will Move You To Tears) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com.
