It isn't shocking to hear celebrity names plastered across all sorts of controversial topics, today. Ian Somerhalder speaks out for animal rights and also environmental protection. Russel Brand has become a political commentator and voice for the "little guy." Alicia Silverstone is a raw vegan who kinda gave all of us vegans a bad name! But, no matter the cause, there could be an entertainment icon attached to it.
Recently, controversy has struck a facet of the industry that, while different than the field I am pursuing, still has potentially far reaching impacts into the entire industry. Seaworld profits have dropped 33% over the last year or so due to allegations that they abuse their animals. They have also been accused of imprisoning their animals in enclosures entirely too small for them.
To me, this is a very positive thing. Even as a little girl I was deeply disturbed at how we use animals for entertainment. I never enjoyed circuses or zoos or places like Seaworld. I never would have dreamed of asking my mother to go to a place like that because they made me sad! Now, I am all for having animal sanctuaries, and even making a profit from these safe havens by allowing the public to come view animals in a more natural habitat, but zoos and their ilk never made sense to me.
The impact of Seaworlds lost profits and the outrage that the negative environments these animals are in, could potentially reach the industry as a whole. PETA and other animal rights groups have been pressuring movies and television for years to stop using animal actors. They consider this exploitation and abuse. Now, I don't agree or disagree with this. I believe that if an animal is a pet and it doesn't stress the animal to appear in a film, that is no issue. It is only when animals are yanked from their natural habitat and forced to learn to perform by a handler that I start speaking out against it. There are already laws and practices in place that protect animal actors almost as much as they protect child actors.
I would love to see this trend continue. As a vegan and an activist of many things, myself, I know how important a few voices can be. And when those voices combine, the roar can forever change an entire society!
Ever in the search of whimsy,
Marissa S.
