Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino Bans Exotic Cats from Dirk Arthur's Vegas Show
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

ADI Animal Defenders International
November 2017

Arthur had initially announced he would use a bobcat and a snow leopard in the production, which opens at Westgate on November 15. Instead, the hotel issued a statement yesterday that Arthur was ditching the cats and working sleight-of-hand and illusions with his stage assistants.

The Las Vegas Review Journal announced that the “wild” has been taken out of Dirk Arthur’s upcoming “Wild Magic” show at Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

Arthur had initially announced he would use a bobcat and a snow leopard in the production, which opens at Westgate on November 15. Instead, the hotel issued a statement yesterday that Arthur was ditching the cats and working sleight-of-hand and illusions with his stage assistants.

An ADI investigation had previously exposed the living and performing conditions of Dirk Arthur’s big cats and emails poured into the Westgate from ADI supporters urging them to drop the animal acts. THANK YOU. We hope that the duck named Afflack is also being dropped from the show.

The Review Journal says, quoting the Westgate:

“The show is formatted to fit in an intimate setting, where the audience can enjoy the magic up close and personal. Due to space limitations in the Cabaret, this version of the show does not feature cats,” the statement read. Why anyone felt an exotic-cat show would work at Westgate Cabaret in the first place is anyone’s guess, but it ain’t happening. Not mentioned, of course, is the blowback Arthur consistently receives from animal rights groups — which were already zeroing in on his show at Westgate. At least one, Animal Defenders International (ADI), had already started an e-mail campaign condemning Arthur for his use of exotic animals.”


This is the second time Westgate has dropped Arthur’s exotic cat act and we hope it will be the last, the venue finally joining those who have moved with the times and replaced these cruel and outdated acts with successful human performances. We remain vigilant, and know you will be there by our side to take action as needed.

Our investigations are the cornerstone of our campaigns to end the use of animals in entertainment, the hours that Arthur’s animals endure in tiny travel cages and prop boxes, and the cement and chain link cells in which they are forced to live, caught on film.

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