School is out, and the open road beckons. Summer vacations are what memories are made of, and with so many choices, it’s hard to narrow down the right destination. But whether you decide to stay close to home or travel to far-flung destinations, please don’t spend any time or money in places where animals are forced to entertain the public.
You’ll spot the billboards on every highway—appeals to pull over to see every novelty from live alligators to dancing bears. It may be tempting to take a break and check things out, but tourists who buy tickets are unwittingly keeping animals in servitude until the day they die.
Just about anybody—whether or not they have any qualifications—can apply for and receive a U.S. Department of Agriculture animal exhibitor’s license. Roadside zoos are typically privately owned and on precarious financial footing. At these facilities, naturally far-ranging animals like lions, bears, tigers and primates are usually housed in cramped cages consisting of chain-link fencing and concrete floors. Their comfort is an afterthought.
