argument top image

Are zoos ethical in the modern age?
Back to question

Zoos are created for profit

Zoos force animals to provide entertainment for people.
Animals Ethics Zoo
< (6 of 7) Next argument >

The Argument

Zoos were only created to make a profit. They exploit wild animals for entertainment in order to charge high prices for tickets.[1] Many zoos attempt to further increase their income by adding new attractions instead of caring for the animals they already have. For example, the head of the Philadelphia zoo was given a large retirement package when the facility desperately needed improvements.[2]

Counter arguments

Many zoos are nonprofit, their only focus being the conservation of animals. All of their efforts are in research and the betterment of wild animals in captivity. Therefore, not all zoos are focused on profit.

Premises

[P1] Zoos were created for profit. [P2] Zoos only care about money. [P3] Zoos do not care about animals and are therefore bad.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] Some zoos are nonprofit.

References

  1. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/top-misleading-claims-zoos-make/
  2. https://www.phillymag.com/news/2006/07/24/philadelphia-magazine-contrarian-dialing-for-dollars/
This page was last edited on Monday, 26 Oct 2020 at 13:32 UTC

Explore related arguments