The essential uses to which sheep are put in the activity of farming are the delivery of wool, meat, skin, and milk. In modern times, however, they are being deployed in another way too.
Animals have been used by humans down the ages for their sport, often cruelly, as for example in bear-baiting, cock-fighting etc. Animals are put to race each other. Betting is often a driver of activities. Parades and shows of animals take place, before large, often noisy, crowds. Animals have for very long been collected for status by private individuals into menageries. The age of science gave start and acceptability to gathering wild animals from their native habitats for professional study, and also putting them on display to the general public who paid for the experience. The name of the endeavours is zoos - the full name being zoological parks.
Many traditional types of ‘sport and show’ activity are now gone or are strongly on the wane. Zoos, however, though dwindling, are still with us as a type. The zoo can offer two things, professional study and public sight. Presumably due to a continued opportunity that zoos can bring for gaining understandings about animals, many people see zoos as needing to remain in existence. But, with travel to far-flung lands now - usually - the norm, the general public prefers and finds more thrilling and interesting going to see animals in their natural territories, and by method of exotic holiday (rather than local day visit). And it is difficult to see how, just for purposes of study, researchers and scientists can justify animals being kept in custody, in a most-usually confined, unnatural environment, and far from home and place of origin.
As zoos are looked at across the world it is manifest that they have quite a broad spectrum, ranging from those which embrace serious study to those which are essentially just animal parks for public view. Non-zoo places inviting the public to visit animals, to see them, to be educated about them, and/or just be entertained by them, range widely - from ‘serious’ centres of a particular species or breed to lion safari parks. Concerning farm animals, overt sites for the public to view them embrace farm centres and parks, city farms, rural farms, rare breed centres, and theme parks. Visitor venues for farm animals often have a bias towards educating about the animals, and perhaps providing opportunities for animal petting too. In the context that society is increasingly urban, it is seen as important that children should meet and know about farm animals. But whereas some places give greater weight to education, others put more emphasis on entertainment.
Festive or commemorative processions and other such occasions are further instances when animals - farm or otherwise - may be put before the public eye. There are of course, too, the more ‘unofficial’ places for viewing farm animals; for example, agricultural shows.
So, how do such themes and generalities as have been discussed affect and feed into sheep’s domain? Sheep’s position and characteristics mean that they are rather easy and approachable subjects for use and exploitation towards providing spectacle and entertainment. They are many in number, and are located widely. They are not large. They are not fierce. They are trusting. And the average sheep does not cost much to purchase or to feed. So, they are very accessible. And, sheep have charm, and look cuddly.
Sheep, though not of the same genus, share quite a few outward similarities to reindeer. So, the equivalent for sheep, of a reindeer or two being brought to a rather tired or dull, visitor attraction at winter-tide, for pepping the attraction up, or of a reindeer to being lined up by Father Christmas in his grotto, for making a children’s visit that much more exciting, is to be guarded against strongly.
Sheep, along with the other animals traditionally regarded as having been present at The Nativity, are at risk of being made to be part of Nativity plays and other Christmas tableaux. Such might give pleasure to children, but it is not right, kind, or fair to an animal for it to be placed in this type of situation, and the animal’s dignity is not kept.
For sheep, the sort of uses to which they could be put to give spectacle and entertainment to any audience, has strong potential to cause them fear, upset and disturbance. They would be likely being asked to do something which is not natural to them, and which is against their shy, cautious, routine-liking, personality, and which may additionally be occurring in an alien, unfamiliar, location.
Sheep in a farming context are in the care of professionals who are experienced and knowledgeable about them. And visitor centres and attractions of seriousness of endeavour will make sure that their sheep have informed care and good treatment. But as venues become less about education and animals and more about entertainment and money-making as the priority, the danger increases of care of animals being inappropriate or inadequate. At a venture run to make money, operated by a businessperson, run by an event organiser, or by an attraction or theme park manager, there may not be professional knowledge present for sheep to be cared for suitably, and it may be that to have such knowledge present might not be known to be, or judged to be, necessary. In the arena of animals being deployed at attractions and events whose primary aim is entertainment and income generation, the slope, from good and appropriate treatment of sheep to not good or appropriate treatment for sheep, is slippery and downward.
It can all too readily be seen that sheep can represent an easy item of choice for attracting the public, offering visitor-appeal, and at a not-too-high cost. In an entire fresh area, sheep’s characteristics and accessibility render them vulnerable for use to draw the public gaze and for giving entertainment. Thus the stage is set for the exploitation of sheep by a whole extra dimension to that which farming already delivers. Some sheep, in contrast with their life being at the behest of a knowledgeable farmer, could be having their existence directed by an ovine-ignorant impresario.
22nd February 2021