Circuses should provide entertainment; they should also be a fun and safe place for families to enjoy a show. Even though a circus show may be considered as entertaining for some, they definitely do not provide an enjoyable atmosphere for the animals. Animals are beautiful creatures, and they are truly fascinating to me and many others. However, I believe that just as there are specific animals that should be trained, and there are other animals that should not. For example, dogs have been bred hundreds of years to be loyal, and to serve their master. Whereas, tigers and lions have not. While I do not have any experience with the same animals that perform in the circus, I have been working with a veterinarian for over a year. I work with large dogs, horses, donkeys, and more. Through this job, I discover that all animals are unpredictable. Animals have defense mechanisms and strength that they will use when they feel threatened or even when they are just excited. Therefore, though I have only been to the circus one time, I have worked enough with animals to know that they are tamable, but not completely controllable. 

"Ringling Bros. Elephants Are Taking Early Retirement to Florida" is an article published by the New York Times. The source is written by Christine Hauser. It states that the Ringling Brothers plan to phase out the elephant performances for economic purposes. The elephants will retire in Florida at a cancer research center. The author presents the information expressing that the discontinuance of elephant performances is dismal. Even though elephants should not perform, their spectacle has almost become a tradition. Due to the phasing out of these performances, many children are not going to be able to observe an elephant show. Despite the fact that the somewhat traditional elephant shows are soon ending, the writer states that the ceasing of the shows is a good thing, not only due to expenses, but also to the quality of life for the elephants. The author works for the New York Times. The author gathers information from both a Feld Entertainment spokesman, and the president of the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), to increase the work's credibility. Hauser does a good job of displaying little bias throughout the use of these two sources.

 Unlike the New York Times piece, the article "Circuses: Three Rings of Abuse" displays no sympathy towards the discontinuance of elephant shows. In other words, this source does not display remorse for the phasing out of elephant shows within the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus. It states that circuses abuse the animals by forcing them to: travel long distances in minuscule cages, perform in bizarre shows, and endure beatings. The article was published by PETA, which is an organization of the people for ethical treatment of animals. Nevertheless, the work's main values and interests are to encourage healthy treatment of animals. Since this article is published by PETA, it already has a positive ethos. This credibility is strengthened by the amount of sources listed throughout the piece. 

Circus Incidents Attacks, Abuse, and Property Damage proves a point which is stated in the article published by PETA. It demonstrates that animals will often react to their surroundings through rebellion. This insurgence often leads to endangerment. The work includes a list of circus animal incidents from 1970 to 2004. It includes reports about abuse, and attacks on people and trainers. The source displays just how unpredictable animals are, and shows that nothing can keep animals from attacking people. This work is completely informative; however, the main interest throughout the piece is circus animal incidents. The source is published and revised by the Humane Society of the United States. The main value is to keep both people and animals safe. The author is a reliable source; however, this ethos is strengthened through the coverage which is listed below each accident. 

This research question is arguable because many people disagree about how exactly animals should be treated. Some believe that humans are made to be at the top of the food chain, and can therefore, treat animals in any manner they choose. However, others believe that although humans are at the top of the food chain, animals are still powerful creatures so they should be treated with respect. Others might also argue that the animals have grown to love their trainers, and that the trainer is also passionate about the animal. The sources strengthen my belief that animals should be treated with respect. All the works prove different points about how and why animal performances are unacceptable. I might need to revise my research question by making it more specific, I can talk about a specific circus, including the Ringling Brothers, or I could focus upon a specific animal. 

