The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is running a 12-week consultation on the use of wild animals in circuses, closing on 15 March 2010. It has been agreed between animal welfare agencies and representatives of the circus industry that maintaining the current regulations will not be an option.
The consultation focuses on how best to protect the welfare of wild animals in travelling circuses, and the options are as follows:
- A complete ban on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses
- A voluntary system self-regulating the use of wild animals in circuses
- A statutory system regulating the use of wild animals in circuses
Animals Count believes that performances with wild animals in both traveling and static circuses as well as zoos should be banned as the aim of entertainment should not outweigh the animals’ right to integrity. The well-known and obvious cruelty of transporting animals across the country, keeping them chained up and forcing them to learn unnatural tricks, often through harmful training methods, are the main reasons why many people prefer to visit all-human circuses. Please click here for Animals Count’s response to DEFRA’s consultation.
A widely-criticised DEFRA Circus Working Group report published at the end of 2007, concluded ‘there was insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that circuses could or could not meet the needs of animals and that any future bans would be a political, rather than scientific, decision.’
DEFRA’s online questionnaire can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/circus-wild-animals/
You can also submit your comments in writing, by email or post:
Rebecca Kenner, Defra, Animal Welfare Act Implementation Team, Area 8B, No 9 Millbank, c/o 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR or email:
animalwelfarecircusconsultation@defra.gsi.gov.uk clearly stating the name of the consultation in the subject header eg: Wild Animals – Circuses
The consultation applies to the wild animals in travelling circuses in England only.
Please also ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion EDM 2179 WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES
Are wild animals suited to a travelling circus life?
A recent study published in the journal ‘Animal Welfare’ by researchers from the University of Bristol, concluded that ‘non-domesticated animals, suitable for circus life, should exhibit low space requirements, simple social structures, low cognitive function, non-specialist ecological requirements and an ability to be transported without adverse welfare effects. None of the commonest species exhibited by circuses, such as elephants and large felids, currently meet these criteria. We conclude that the species of non-domesticated animals commonly kept in circuses appear the least suited to a circus life.’ (Iossa, G.; Soulsbury, C.D. and Harris, S., 2009)
