Stop Circus Suffering

Animal Defenders International (ADI) has welcomed the decision by DEFRA to refuse big cat circus trainer Thomas Chipperfield a licence to perform in England.

Animal Defenders International (ADI) congratulates the UK Government on committing to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in England by January 2020.

It is eleven years since a British Government first promised a ban on wild animals in circuses – eleven years of animal misery.

Defra Minister Lord de Mauley has confirmed to ADI that the Government will press ahead with legislation to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses but a loophole will still allow circuses to continue to tour with these animals provided they are not displayed.

ADI has today expressed its profound disappointment that the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA), in their report on the draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill, suggests that the wild animal ban could be watered down.

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.