1 A rare tiger is dead and its trainer is gravely injured. It adds up to the worst nightmare for the circus that bills itself as the “Greatest Show on Earth.” As the circus packed up and left, officials said the show would go on, even without the big cats that are one of the major attractions.
2 However, circus officials can’t simply ignore the ethical issues they left behind. Even before this tragedy, the circus had become the focus of protests from animal rights activists. The protesters argue that tigers, elephants, and other wild animals are kept in cramped, artificial conditions and are forced to suffer for the profit of circus organizers.
3 The circus environment is at best an unnatural setting that places dangerous demands on