Bicycle-Riding Bears and More Chinese Crackers

Animals Asia Foundation recently released photos of bicycle-riding bears and boxing bears in Chinese circuses, and the pictures are poignant reminders of the misery that animals endure in circuses throughout China. Not that the atrocities done to animals who are touring (if you can call living in a smelly boxcar and then in a dungeonlike stadium basement “touring”) with circuses in the U.S. have been stopped. After all, in the U.S., elephants are routinely beaten with rods, sticks, and bullhooks, whipped into submission, and chained so that they are barely able to move.

Of course, no one had to get out the bullhook to convince PETA Asia staffers to work hard on China’s first-ever animal protection laws. Earlier this year, they met with Chinese government officials and discussed ways to help animals—including improving conditions for animals in circuses. These photos are further proof of how urgently animals need us. Get the “Hot and Sour Scoop” on PETA Asia’s work by visiting the group’s blog. And help animals here at home by boycotting the circus.

Written by Jennifer O’Connor