Government…consultation on licensing, promise of a ban, legal obstacles and excuses
The Prime Minister has made a firm commitment to take action on bringing in the circus ban after 75 celebrities and politicians united with ADI to take action on the issue on 9th April 2014.
United Call for Circus Ban Leads to Commitment From Prime Minister
The Prime Minister has made a firm commitment to take action on bringing in the circus ban after 75 celebrities and politicians united with ADI to take action on the issue on 9th April 2014. Read more / Take action
Defra response to circus report “does not go far enough to safeguard wild animals”
ADI has expressed its disappointment that Defra’s response to the report by the EFRA Select Committee on the draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill does not go far enough to safeguard the welfare of wild animals in circuses. Read more / Take action
Government to ban wild animals in circuses from 2015
ADI welcomes today’s announcement by the Government to end the use of wild animals in circuses but is disappointed however it will be December 2015 before the ban is introduced. Read more…
Government to announce wild animal circus ban
Investigations of cruelty and suffering of animals in circuses by ADI over the past twenty years have changed public attitudes and ADI welcomes the proposed announcement by the Government tomorrow to end the use of wild animals in circuses. Read more…
Defra grant licences to circuses with wild animals
Following ADI’s revelation that Circus Mondao was touring with wild animals without a licence, Defra has since confirmed that licences were issued to both Circus Mondao and Peter Jolly’s Circus on 13th March 2013. Read more…
Defra say no licences issued for circuses with wild animals
On Tuesday 12 February, Defra informed ADI that “we have received two applications for circus licences but no licences have yet been issued”. Read more…
Regulations for wild animals in circuses approved in the Commons despite continued opposition
The House of Commons has today passed legislation to regulate the use of wild animals in circuses through licensing, following a committee debate yesterday afternoon. ADI is dismayed that the government is pushing through legislation which will not protect wild animals in circuses and is wasting both taxpayers’ money and parliamentary time. Read more…
Circus regulations progress to the House of Commons
The House of Lords has approved regulations on the use of wild animals in circuses, following Wednesday’s Grand Committee debate, despite concerns raised by peers. The regulations will next be discussed in the House of Commons by the First Delegated Legislation Committee chaired by Jim Sheridan MP on Monday 29th October.
Read more…
Plans to license wild animal circuses in the hands of the Lords
On Wednesday, 24 October, the draft regulations for the licensing of wild animals in circuses will be discussed at a Grand Committee in the House of Lords. Read more…
Circus madness
The government announces intention to ban but, instead, introduces inspections – report from Summer 2012 Animal Defender magazine. Read here…
Licensing system to go ahead, despite plans for wild animal circus ban
ADI is disappointed that Defra is still pressing ahead with a licensing scheme for wild animals in travelling circuses, despite its plans to publish draft legislation for its promised ban, the introduction of which is now likely to be delayed by at least a year. Read more…
Organisations refuse to participate in circus consultation
Dismayed at the Government’s continued pursuit of an inspection and licensing regime for wild animals in travelling circuses, leading animal protection and welfare organisations refuse to take part in the Government’s public consultation on the issue. Read more…
Government’s so-called public consultation on wild animals in circuses
ADI brands Defra consultation on regulations on animals in circuses as “manipulative in the extreme” “designed to give the Government the answer they want, with no choice of options” and urges supporters to boycott. Read more…
Wild animals to be banned from circuses……one day
The Government once again postpones a ban on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. In defiance of overwhelming and consistent public and parliamentary opinion, Defra plans to embark on an inspection/licensing regime.Read more…
A new excuse from government regarding wild animal circus ban
ADI accuses the Government of desperation and contradiction over its continued attempts to block a ban on wild animals in circuses, after Defra launch raft of new excuses for avoiding a ban in a letter to an ADI supporter. Read more…
No legal obstacles to UK ban
The Austrian Constitutional Court throws out application by Circus Krone to overturn Austria’s ban on wild animals in circuses, clearing the way for a UK ban.Read more…
Defra at odds with Parliament on wild animal circus ban
Despite unanimous backbench vote urging Defra to ban animals in circuses by July 2021, Defra states its plans to proceed with proposed licensing system. Read more…
European Commission tells the UK to face up to its responsibility on wild animals in circuses
The European Commission has officially informed the European Parliament that circus animals are the responsibility of individual member states and that there is currently no protection for circus animals under European law. This declaration provides conclusive proof that there is no EU framework for protecting circus animals and that the Commission has specifically declared that the decision for a ban or implementation of welfare codes is at the discretion of individual member states. Read more…
Circus ban would not breach Human Rights Act or European Services Directive
ADI has received expert legal advice stating that an outright ban on the use of wild animals in circuses would not breach the Human Rights Act or the EU Services Directive, once again paving the way for the Coalition Government to implement a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses without further delay. Read more…
Minister admits previous comments incorrect on status of Austrian legal proceedings
Government accused of misleading the public once again, with the claim that the Austrian court proceedings are active, but have been delayed. This is incorrect and the legal action was never filed, a fact which has been confirmed by The Austrian Constitutional Court. Read more…
Government to review legal advice on wild animal circus ban in light of ADI evidence
The Government’s recent announcement that they are unable to ban the use of wild animals in circuses due to a current legal challenge involving the Austrian Government’s circus ban under EU law has been exposed as a smoke screen.Read more…
Defra will not ban animals in circuses
ADI is outraged that the Coalition Government will not be banning the use of wild animals in circuses due to a legal challenge involving the Austrian Government, but instead opting for a licensing regime which will not address animal welfare, and completely contradicts the will of the public. Read more…
Labour’s commitment to banning wild animals in circuses is “unequivocal”
In a letter to ADI, Jim Fitzpatrick MP, the minister for animal welfare at Defra, reiterates his earlier indication that the Labour government intend to pursue a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses. Read more…
DEFRA backs ban on wild animals in circuses following public consultation and ADI campaign
Following Defra’s announcement of the overwhelming support of 94% of the UK public to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses, ADI met with Animal Welfare Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick MP at Defra, to present him with evidence of the suffering of wild animals in circuses. Read more…
Animals in circuses: u-turn in the UK, progress in the rest of the world
During the passage of the Animal Welfare Act in the House of Lords, Minister Lord Rooker stated the Government were committed to banning certain non-domesticated species used in circuses. The year the ban was due to take effect, he stated in a letter to ADI that there was never a commitment to ban wild animal acts. Read more…
Countdown to a ban
The highlights of the final months of ADI lobbying that turned a Ministerial statement of ‘we will ban nothing’ on its head. Read more…
Victory: UK Circus Bans
In March, Defra Minister Ben Bradshaw told the UK Parliament that certain non-domesticated animals would be banned from travelling circuses under regulations that will follow the Animal Welfare Bill. The Scottish Parliament which is due to pass its own Animal Welfare Bill followed suit two weeks with a similar commitment to a ban. Read more…
ADI welcomes ban on animals in circuses
ADI is delighted at the announcement by Defra minister Ben Bradshaw yesterday that the Government is looking at a ban on the use of animals in circuses, with exemptions for domesticated species. Read more…