Byron Egeland, Ph.D.
Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development

“I am writing to support the legislation to ban wild animal circuses in
Minneapolis. The training of wild animals is very hard and the acts
themselves are often debilitating to the animal.

My major concern as a child psychologist is the effect this has on
children. Witnessing an animal being whipped or prodded to perform tasks
that are very unnatural can be confusing to a child who is told that the
circus is wholesome entertainment.

There is much research evidence showing that that children who witness
violence are more likely to behave in an aggressive fashion compared to
children who do not witness violence... impression the child gets in
viewing animals being mistreated and being forced to perform, I am
concerned that this may lead to aggressiveness and a lack of empathy and
compassion toward animals as well as humans.”