Stop Circus Suffering

Ahead of the anticipated wild animal circus ban promised by Government, ADI has offered its expertise to help rehome animals currently touring with circuses in Britain, should their owners be willing to allow them a peaceful retirement after a lifetime of performance.

An ADI rescue team is presently working with Government authorities to help enforce a wild animal circus ban in Peru – transporting animals from circuses across the country to our Operation Spirit of Freedom rescue centre, where they are being cared for ahead of relocation to suitable, permanent homes.

Unlike the situation in Peru, the British ban would not require circuses to give up their animals, yet ADI hopes that owners will consider providing their wild animals with the opportunity to be relocated to sanctuaries where they will be able to enjoy the company of their own kind, leaving their performance days behind them.

ADI has worked all over the world rescuing and relocating animals, often in difficult circumstances. In 2011, ADI successfully worked with the Bolivian Government to enforce a nationwide ban on all animal circus acts. The Operation Lion Ark mission – which is the subject of the award-winning documentary Lion Ark – saw 29 lions from eight circuses airlifted to safety in the US, and numerous other animals rescued and relocated in Bolivia.

As part of our Operation Spirit of Freedom mission in Peru, ADI has also been called upon to relocate nine lions seized from a circus by Government authorities in Colombia. The animals are the first to be relocated following Colombia’s ban on wild animals in circuses which, like the ban in Peru, was passed after a long campaign by ADI and local animal protection groups.

The British Government has remained committed to banning the use of wild animals in circuses since it announced it would prohibit such acts in 2012. However, with progress appearing to have stalled, former Defra Minister Jim Fitzpatrick MP has introduced a Bill with the same wording as the Government’s draft legislation to try and secure the ban ahead of the General Election.

Public support for a ban on the use of wild animals in British circuses has been consistently high for 15 years, with a Defra public consultation showing a resounding 94% of respondents supporting a ban. Over 200 local authorities in Britain already have bans on the use of animals in circuses, and 27 countries worldwide have national restrictions in place.

ADI’s campaign to stop circus suffering in Britain is supported by politicians of all parties, leading animal protection groups and celebrities including Ricky Gervais, Dame Judi Dench, Brian Blessed, Twiggy, Eddie Izzard and Sir Roger Moore.

Take action! 

• Help secure the British circus ban– urge your MP today to support the bill to ban wild animal acts, which will have its second reading on October 17 and sign our petition urging the Prime Minister to back the bill
• Make a donationto help ADI rescue and relocate Peru’s wild circus animals