Thank You!
ADI deliver overwhelming numbers of responses to Defra’s consultation.
On March 15, Animal Defenders International had the pleasure of delivering the hundreds of responses collected from street stalls and ADI events over the duration of the public consultation.
Over 12 weeks, hundreds of members of the public participated in ADI’s street events in what seems to have been a very positive response to the the government’s public consultation on the use of wild animals. Thank You for taking part!
ADI on the street
The most recent event, at the Ealing Animal Welfare Bazaar, followed in the footsteps of recent successes around the UK capital, and saw members of the local community engaging passionately with the issues surrounding the use of wild animals in circuses, particularly concerning the terrible mistreatment of the three elephants with the Great British Circus in 2009, uncovered by an ADI expose.
Many raised concerns that such incidents could be repeated if a complete ban was lacking, and expressed worries over the possibility of more elephants being imported into the UK in the future.
ADI also handed in their own formal response to the consultation, which supports the introduction of a complete ban on the use of wild animals in circuses as the only option which could effectively safeguard animal welfare. This is as opposed to the introduction of statutory or voluntary regulation, neither of which would effectively address the key concerns surrounding the use of wild animals in travelling circuses, and neither of which could feasibly ensure that travelling circuses adhere to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The public consulation closed on Monday 15th March.