Malia in Crete bans animal circuses
Malia in Crete has banned animal circuses.
Malia in Crete has banned animal circuses following the launch of one of the biggest animal protection campaigns Greece has ever seen by Animal Defenders International (ADI) last month. This is the first animal circus ban in Crete.
In the last week of March the ADI Greek Stop Circus Suffering campaign was unveiled in Iraklion, Crete, followed by press conferences in Thessaloniki, Athens, and Halkida. The campaign received enormous publicity, and one local TV station screened the Greek Stop Circus Suffering DVD in full. It is now an enormous boost to the campaign that the municipality of Malia have acted so quickly and decisively and banned animal circuses.
Kerenza Vlastou in Greece commented: “The Municipality of Malia on the island of Crete was the first to declare that circuses with animals degrade us as humans and not the animals themselves, thereby ensuring that a ban will be enforced. We hope that this is the first step towards a total ban of circuses on the island of Crete.”
Our thanks to this municipality and to all the local campaigners who supported the campaign. There are now bans on animal circuses in Thessaloniki, Patras, Xanthi, Eleftheron-Kavala, Glika Nera Attikis, Elefsina, Thermi and Kalamaria and the tide against animal circuses in Greece appears to be unstoppable. The ADI Stop Circus Suffering campaign has the backing of over 50 animal protection groups across Greece and this latest ban will motivate everyone to redouble their efforts.
ADI would also like to thank the Greek Animal Welfare Fund who part sponsored the production of the new Greek Stop Circus Suffering campaign materials.