Stop Circus Suffering

British Prime Minister urged to keep circus ban promise as bill blocked for eighth time

“Leading protector of animals” now trailing behind 30 countries

ADI is urging the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, to keep his promise to ban wild animals in circuses after a backbench bill to pass the legislation was blocked today by Conservative MP Christopher Chope for the eighth time.

The Government published draft legislation to prohibit wild animals in circuses two years ago, with Defra Minister Lord de Mauley stating that it will “help ensure that our international reputation as a leading protector of animals continues into a new global era.” Since then, the Bill has been allowed to gather dust, whilst the number of nations that have passed bans has risen to 30.

Britain has now fallen behind 17 European countries including Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and most recently The Netherlands which announced a ban before Christmas. Across the UK, over 200 councils have taken action themselves to ban circuses from public land.

Tabled by former Defra Minister Jim Fitzpatrick and launched with support from ADI and a cross party group of MPs, the blocked Bill – which will have another second reading on Friday 16 January – seeks to overcome the deadlock caused by Government inaction and pass the ban on wild animals in circuses before the General Election in May.

Conservative MP Christopher Chope who has now blocked the Bill on five occasions has previously said in the House of Commons that this should “be a Government Bill, as it was promised by the Government”. With Conservative MPs continuing to block the Bill, the only way the ban can be implemented this year is for David Cameron to introduce the Bill in Government time, which would ensure it can reach the statute book before the General Election.

ADI has offered to help rehome Britain’s wild animals, having previously rescued 29 lions whilst assisting the Bolivian government enforce its animal circus ban, which is the subject of the multi-award winning and critically acclaimed film LION ARK. ADI is now working with authorities in Peru and Colombia to enforce their wild animal circus bans and is currently caring for 30 lions, 12 monkeys and many other animals as part of its Operation Spirit of Freedom mission.

TAKE ACTION FOR THE ANIMALS!

  • Contact your MP today and ask them to urge David Cameron to keep his promise and allow the Bill to pass before the General Election
  • Sign and share our petition, already backed by nearly 18,000 people
  • Make a donation US $ / UK £ to bring the animals we have saved from circuses in Peru and Colombia to their forever homes, and to help others like them

Comments

  1. Diana Ferrell · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    The life and severe abuse of these animals, all for the sake of “entertainment” is absolutely disgusting. It’s so disrespectful to living beings. Step up and end the animals abuse and the horrific life they have. This is not something we should be teaching children that it’s okay to enslave and abuse animals for “fun”.

  2. Mary · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    please ban……for the love of humanity…….only we can change the world.

  3. Leigh Brownsmith · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Keep this ban firmly in place please.

  4. S Spencer · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    No animals in the circus. Cirque du Soleil, Project Bandaloop, Urban Circus! This is what the new & humane circus looks like. So much better!

  5. adrienne jones · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Show compassion for animals. Its he sign of a good person.

  6. Linda Ihlein · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Animals are not ours to exploit for any reason.

  7. MICHELE · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    stop circus with animals

  8. wendy Preston · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    No animals should ever be used to ‘entertain’ people in circus’s or anywhere else.

  9. azza elsherbini · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Please help to stop circus suffering ,British Prime Minister urged to keep circus ban promise as bill blocked for eighth time

  10. Chrystine Vernon · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Stop stalling and end this disgusting practice NOW !!

  11. Heather Jepson · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Why is this MP being so obstructive?? Why can’t he do the right thing by the animals!!

  12. Gary Vernon · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    What is wrong with you, allowing this is OBSCENE !!

  13. Lina Lundh · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Animals are not entertainment!

  14. Juan Zamora · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Please, David Cameron, keep your promise to ban wild animals in circuses after a backbench bill to pass the legislation was blocked today

  15. marcia · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    out of date treatment of animals. this should be banned. cruel and disrespectful to animals who have no voice in how they are treated all for human entertainment.

  16. Caroline Mason · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Why is Cameron allowing this little cabal of MP’s to block this bill? Chope & co presumably have vested interests in this. Disgrace

  17. Caroline Cottrell · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Ban the circus, now!

  18. Rosalie Carpio · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    It is time to stop the suffering of animals in circuses! This is NOT acceptable any more!

    Please keep good on your WORD!!!

    Sincerely,
    Rosalie Carpio

  19. Danny kline · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    It is essential to act if we can lighten or end another being’s suffering.

  20. Hennie Beavis · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Please get the animals out of the Circus.
    We are supposed to be a nation of animal lovers.
    As we speak there are lions languishing in disgusting conditions in Aberdeenshire.

  21. Bhagvati Nath · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Make mp ‘Chopper Chope’ (so called for cutting council housing & spending in 80’s, bringing in the Poll tax, wanting to abolish minimum wage & blocking help to poor countries) entertain people in a circus ring, whip him & starve him when he doesn’t obey & keep him in a cage when not performing & let’s see what he says then.. Love & Light

  22. Sueli Aparecida Lemes Soares · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Sign all petitions in favor of animal cause

  23. karen flynn · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    No to the circuses. Ban all animal captivity across the globe please…

  24. Barbara · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Bann the circus, it is not good for the animals..it is all about the money!

  25. Debora eblet · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Stop use in animals they belong in the wild not in a big top 🙁 it’s not a life they should have 🙁

  26. Mo Stamant · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    KEEP YOUR PROMISE !! 🙂

  27. Sherie haines · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    If the government do not ban this then I will not be voting for them!!!!

  28. Sharon Cohen · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    What is wrong with the UK. There are 30 countries that have banned animals in the circus, and your promises obviously mean nothing!

  29. Magda Komorowska · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    stop the circus

  30. Ruhi Thallon · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Please show some humanity for these defenceless animals forced to perform unnatural tricks for human ‘entertainment’. Let’s show other nations that we British value the lives and freedom of other creatures and stop animals being used in circuses. Stop preventing this bill from being put through, it is wholly undemocratic and shameful behaviour.

  31. Diana Ramirez · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    A lack of respect for animals shows a lack of respect for mankind. Please end the suffering.

  32. Alishanee Ahawi · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    All circuses should be banned and left in history (as a cruel mistake!).

  33. Jane A. Garsson · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Great Britain needs to show that it is committed to the Heath and Welfare of all animals, including those that are and used and exploited in circuses.

    PM David Cameron, please keep your promise to ban wild animals in circuses, and enact the proper laws that would enforce the protection of all wild, endangered animals from human poaching and exploitation from the
    antiquated and inhumane circus industry!

    With regards,

    Jane A. Garsson

  34. Holly Brady · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Keep your promise!

  35. Kathleen McGarr · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    One MP again attempts to cement the UK in the “dark ages”. Prime Minister Cameron, introduce this as a Government Bill. Is the UK ready to take a seat alongside others in the compassionate global community that declares the exploitation and abuse suffered by wild animals in circuses to be unacceptable? Please don’t fail the animals or the constituents who demand a ban yet again.

  36. Prairie Moser · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    I do not enjoy watching animals suffer.

  37. Dagmar Grabsch · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    this has to stop animal cruelty

  38. Jo Boegner · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Circuses are cruel and barbaric. Please keep your promise!

  39. nanita Samuels · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Come on Cameron, do the right thing and ban animals in Circus performances! You said you would, now DO IT!

  40. Annette Amarose · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    This kind of thing has been going on for far too long. These animals do not deserve to be treated like this.

  41. Anette Juhl Allton · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Wild animals do not belong in circus. It’s against their nature and is horrible abuse.

  42. Yasmin Bowerman · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    If we are the leading protector of animals let’s show it. David Cameron has already failed me in so many ways, but out of everything, this and the fox hunting ban are the two things I want to stay in place.

  43. Carol Dorn · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    please keep circus ban promise. Animals suffer terrificly in the circus they do not get their needs taken care of, no veterinarian needs taken care of.mostly the animals get beaten so they’ll do what is commanded? Curelty, the pratices they put the babies thur is absolutely terrifying! They do things to break the baby’s spirit? They tie all four of the baby’s legs and pull them apart! Horrific, that’s not all they do!!! They starve them! Etc

  44. Dr Eleonora Gullone · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Wild animals should not be confined in cages their entire lives only to be let for unnatural performances for human entertainment. This is perverse and should be stopped.

  45. Charlotte Ballenger · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Stop this! I have NEVER been to a circus in my life because of the treatment of animals in them. I will never go to one and my child never went to one either~

  46. Tracey Mackintosh · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Please have a heart these animals deserve better please show some compasion !!!

  47. Alejandra VeganGonzalez · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    PLEASE, END CIRCUSES!!! IT’S ALL ABOUT “MISERY”, “IGNORANCE”, “WEAK HUMANS”!!!

  48. Lorna Jensen · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Please stop the madness…cruelty, barbaric and just wrong

  49. ann whalen · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    I am Born in Canada…My Entire Family is British…Do Not Let previous Generations…Allow this Generation of Humans..THAT ARE paying Attention to What is Happening in the World with Humans and Animals for the Greed Of MONEY. Please Stop the Inhumane Circus of Live Endangered Animals…On My Queen Elizabeths’ Crown and Her Grandson Prince Williams Wish..for the Children of the World…Please Stop Abusing and Accepting Endangered Animal Parts … Please Say NO to Circus…and Importation of Animal Parts or Food… With Many Blessing, Your Majesty…

  50. Joanna Barton · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Ban all animals in circuses. Animals should never be trained and forced to entertain humans. It should have been stopped decades ago! This cruelty must end especially in a nation of so called animal lovers!!

  51. chris lewis · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    animals are not ours to humiliate and treat with cruelty

  52. Simone Roneberg · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    NOT ENTERTAINMENT

  53. marina claessens · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    I will not vote for you if this bill does not pass

  54. Stephanie Christman · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Please ban the circuses

  55. Terry McGregor · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Ban all animal circuses

  56. Seema Vaid · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    Circuses are incredibly cruel to animals … Please do the right thing and ban the use of animals in circuses..in the UK

  57. Heike Feldmann · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    ban animals in circus

  58. bos claudine · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    stop circus suffering !!!!

  59. Kathleen Bennett · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    PLEASE LET THESE ANIMALS HAVE THEIR FREEDOM TO LIVE AS THEY WERE MEANT TO!

  60. Janet Hoffmann · 9 January 2015 at 3:29a

    animals do not belong in circuses.Stop the suffering now.

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