Fingal to ban wild animal circuses
Following a motion introduced by Socialist Party member Clare Daly last night at the council meeting Fingal County Council is set to pass a policy that will end all ‘wild’ animal circus performances on County Council land.
Jan Creamer, chief executive of Animal Defenders International (ADI), enthused: “We applaud Fingal Councillors’ move to ban wild animals from circuses in the county. Once people see the reality behind the glitz of the circus show, they don’t want to see animals suffer deprivation and abuse, just for entertainment. Fingal’s move will encourage other councils to make a similar stand on behalf of the animals and the public. In recent polls, 65% of people want to see an end to the use of all animals in circuses, and 80% want to see an end to the use of wild animals. ADI and Ireland’s Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) are delighted”.
National exposure of undercover film footage of circus investigations has brought home the need for action. Studies have shown that with the best will in the world, animal welfare will always be compromised in the traveling circus, where animals spend most of their time in deprived environments, severely confined.
Last year ARAN introduced a similar motion in Clonakilty in Co Cork, Limerick City, Wicklow and Wexford. The Irish circus campaign across has seen demonstrations right across the country, local council campaign meetings, mobile billboards taking the message to the streets and arts council and schools campaigning. A national Stop Circus Suffering in Ireland tour and protests are being planned for the next phase of the campaign.
Worldwide, the Stop Circus Suffering campaign has resulted in bans on the use of animals in circuses in South America, Europe, and the far East.