Zoos Are Negative Places

       Did you know there are approximately 370 zoos across North America? When I think of animals, I feel that they should be treated with the same respect as us. Zoos put animals on display for people to look at them, take pictures, and sometimes hurt them. How would you like to be thrown in a cage and glared at all day? We as people get to live where we want, we get most, if not, all of our needs met, and we get to live and see our family. Since animals are like people they should receive the same things. I strongly believe that zoos are negative places. I think zoos are negative places because zoos restrict the animals movement, don’t provide what the animals need, and the animals are separated from their family.

First of all the animals are in a caged area. When the animals area in a cage they can’t roam free. That would be like someone locking you in your bedroom and you staying there for the rest of your life. I would not like that and I’m sure you wouldn’t like it either, so how do you think the animals like it? The cages that the animals are put into are about the size of my bedroom! That is really small. Do you really think that is enough space for an animal? That is like keeping a hippo in your bedroom! One time when I was at the zoo I saw an animal chewing on the cage. The material of the cage might not be healthy for the animal. It might contain chemicals that could hurt or kill the animals.

Unlike house pets, were all of the animals needs are provided, animals at zoos don’t get all of their needs met. When animals are first born in the wild, they have everything they need, but when they are transferred to a zoo everything is different. For example the food. In the wild the animal’s food is different than the food they feed the animals in zoos. In the wild they can eat as much food as they want, but in a zoo they are restricted to how much food and water they get. In a zoo you can only eat the foods the zoo keepers give you. However in the wild, animals can hunt for the different types of food they want to eat. In a zoo you cannot hunt at all.

Finally it is important to be with family. How upset would you be if you were taken away from your family? I would be extremely upset, so I feel for the animals in zoos. To be separated from your family would change the animal’s life forever. Sometimes there are baby animals at zoos that live without their family but just like us they need their family to protect them. Have you ever felt lonely? If you have you know how bad it fells. But imagine being lonely for your whole entire life. It would feel ten times worse. That is how most animals in zoos feel. Animals have feelings too and we need to respect that. Taking animals away from their families is not a good way to start.

Animals are like people and should be treated with the same respect as you and I. I personally believe that zoos are negative places because in zoos animals are in a caged area, don’t get all of their needs met, and are taken away from their families. If we don’t treat humans like this why do we treat animals like this? Keeping animals in zoos is cruel and mean. That is why I think zoos are negative places.