WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



to use these trees, consequently the claws have grown 

 into the pads, and unless they are cut off the animal will 

 become hopelessly lame and suffer a great amount of 

 torture. 



It is no child's play to perform the operation of cutting 

 off the talons, for, in the first place,, the creature makes 

 all the resistance possible in his power, and, by reason of 

 his great strength and activity, is not a little dangerous. 

 The keepers endeavour to catch both front feet of the 

 animal in straps that have a slip-knot ; the tighter it is 

 pulled the more firmly the foot can be held, and then 

 drawn forward between the bars of the cage. The operator, 

 armed with a pair of sharp cutting nippers, accomplishes 

 the operation and gives the relief required. In perform- 

 ing this operation there is a risk of the animal, when so 

 treated, biting the iron bars and to thus endanger the 

 breaking of his teeth. In order to prevent this biting 

 occurring one of the attendants is provided with a long 

 pole or bar of wood which he thrusts in front of the 

 animal's mouth, so that he may fix his teeth into the 

 wood and thus prevent them being broken. If the 

 same animal has been operated upon two or three 

 times, although a year may have elapsed between each 

 operation, I have found that the beast offers less resist- 

 ance each time; I think that probably the creature 

 becomes accustomed to the operation, and, moreover, I 

 think the brute knows it to be done for his benefit and 

 relief 



The skin of a lion or tiger is so tough that the claws 

 are sometimes either broken off when fighting or com- 

 pletely torn out. 



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