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The Moulin Rouge cabaret club in Paris has been forced to stop a long-running act. The act included a dancer swimming with snakes and sometimes holding them in a water tank.
Animal rights groups were upset about the act and protested in the streets. At first, the club defended the use of snakes but said they would stop using all animals in its shows in 2024.
But, because of pressure from the protests, the Moulin Rouge club announced on Tuesday that it would stop using snakes in the act.
Officials in Paris and animal rights groups said it was cruel to put the snakes in water on stage. Snakes are a protected species that usually live on land.
During the act, the snakes were used in the water tank. Some of them had their mouths taped shut to prevent biting. The snakes were also taped to prevent them from defecating in the water tank.
One of the animal rights groups called Paris Animaux Zoopolis was happy about the decision. The group thinks it will help with ending animal captivity in France.
Someone from the group says it was very stressful for the snakes to be in the tank. The snakes were transported to the club every day in small metal boxes, which took about one and a half hours.
Last year, the Moulin Rouge said that they had never mistreated animals and would not do so in the future.
Vocabulary
- Cabaret – A type of entertainment show with singing, dancing, and comedy performances
- Force someone to do something – To make someone do something against their will or without their choice; make someone do something that they don’t want to do
- Act – a set performance; bit; segment; a part of a play or opera;
- Snake – 🐍
- Water tank – A large container or reservoir that holds water
- Animal rights group – a group or organization that wants to protect animals
- Upset – Feeling sad, angry, or disappointed about something
- Protest – to say you don’t like something, to fight against, to object, disagree
- Defend – to protect someone or something against attack or criticism; to try to prevent the other team from scoring points, goals, etc.; to speak or write in support of someone or something
- Pressure – To apply force or influence to make someone do something or change their behavior
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Official – a person who works for the government or a government company and has power or authority; officer; executive
- Cruel – To be unkind; to hurt or cause harm to other people/things
- Stage – A raised platform or area where performances take place; e.g., a singer stands on a stage
- Protect – keep safe or secure; guard; defend
- Species – a set of animals or plants that have similar characteristics/qualities to each other; type of animal or plant
- Tape shut – To close or seal something using adhesive tape
- Prevent – to stop; to keep from happening; to put an end to
- Bite – Using the teeth to cut or clamp onto something
- Defecate – 💩; The process of eliminating waste material from the body, commonly referred to as “pooping.”
- Decision – a choice that you make about something after thinking about several possibilities/options; choice; ruling;
- Captivity – the situation in which a person or animal is kept somewhere and is not allowed to leave; confinement; imprisonment
- Mistreat – To treat someone or something badly or unfairly; to be mean
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- What is your opinion on using animals in entertainment shows like the one at the Moulin Rouge?
- How do you feel about animal rights groups protesting against the use of animals in entertainment?
- Should stricter regulations be in place to prevent the mistreatment of animals in performances? Why or why not?
- In your opinion, should all forms of animal captivity be ended, like zoos and research facilities, or are there situations where it can be justified?
Original Story
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