The claim that animals have “rights” has been the subject of much debate since the 1970s. Are zoos helping or hurting our animals? Should zoos be banned? Do you agree or disagree?

Good zoos serve the welfare of animals. They generate in people a commitment to the value of nature and the environment

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In the past, there have been questionable zoos employing cruel practices. These zoos, of course, need to be reformed. Good zoos where animals are cared for properly, well fed and well looked after, and where animals are kept in spacious surroundings, are becoming the norm and should be encouraged. Zoos increasingly become places where people are encouraged to connect with animals. The long-term future of zoos depends on people making a commitment to animals’ long-term well-being. The emphasis has shifted from zoos being seen as places of entertainment towards zoos being seen as places of education. Most modern zoos put their main emphasis on conservation and education—visitors come to zoos to learn about nature, the environment, endangered species, and conservation. Far from encouraging bad treatment of animals, zoos provide a direct experience of other species that will increase ecological awareness. Programs in zoos to breed endangered animals in captivity are lauded as huge success stories. Animals

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as tigers, pandas and gorillas have a chance of surviving as a species because of these programs. Providing that animals are treated well, there is no reason why conservation, education, and cruelty-free entertainment should not all be combined

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Animals can and should be studied in the wild

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but they can

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be studied more closely

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more rigorously

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and over a more sustained period of time in captivity

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endangered animals to be given a better chance to survive

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zoos need to be supported.