The following is a letter we received from a reader, it is not necessarily an expression of the opinion of The Lion's Roar, albeit after having visited the Darkmoon Faire this weekend I tend to agree on several of the concerns expressed in the following. - H. Lester
1. Vastly improve the enclosures of the animals that reside at the faire, both in space and quality.
2. Ensure safety for animals, guests & employees.
Upon several visits to the Darkmoon Faire over the years the state of the animal's living conditions leave a lot to be desired. All of the fences are too short and flimsy for most if not all the animals in the fair's care. The giraffe could simply step over the enclosure and the rhino could destroy it with ease. Moreover, enclosures are simply too small for one animal they house, such as a massive gorilla, let alone the several that are often crammed into it like the family of lions - a male, female and two cubs who share a tiny space. There is barely any kind of enrichment bar a few hay bales for some of the animals. Incredibly social creatures such as penguins are kept alone and in what can only be described as small metal boxes with no water to swim in. Predator and prey animals are kept next to one another and there is no consideration for the noise of the fireworks or the rides.
Furthermore, the use of some of the animals in the attractions is worrisome, from rings being hurled at a tortoise to riders way too large allowed to mount upon tiny ponies and rams, to ride them freely through the fairground. Tallstriders are raced alongside loud machines through dangerous obstacle courses. There is a large bear that is kept in an open enclosure that dancers with visitors that dance with him and other animals such as Elekks and the lioness are often lead through the faire by a rope. Animals are kept in small crates and exchanged for prize tickets with no concern for the welfare of the animal and the experience of who is purchasing them, many that are exotic such as monkeys and the cubs of big cats.
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These conditions are not only detrimental to the animals that live on the Island but also the guests and employees too. The enclosures are barely safe enough to stop a curious child from getting through and there is even an employee encased within stone inside the basilisk's enclosure. One of the pens is also, taken up by a rotating number of guests, usually of animalistic races such as Gorloc or Arakkoa, seemingly being told by the staff they are waiting for a guided tour but are presented to the other guests as one of the exhibits.
We at Fur the Herd request that the faire makes improvements to the animals enclosures by expanding them and adding enrichment, improve the lay out of the zoo itself, guarding against stressors to the animals, swap out the animals used in attractions for robots, cease selling animals as prizes and ensure the safety of both animals and guests by limiting the size of riders of the ponies and ramps and improving fences.
Signed,
Nosvaa, the Exodar
Fur the Herd, Animal Welfare.