Opportunity to bring in British circus ban before election lost
A bill championed by ADI to end the use of wild animals in British circuses has been blocked for the final time crushing hopes of a ban before the general election.
A bill championed by ADI to end the use of wild animals in British circuses has been blocked for the twelfth and final time today, crushing hopes that the ban would be brought in before the general election. Enjoying cross-party support the bill has been dogged by a few Conservative MPs who have ignored the huge public opposition to these wild animal acts.
It is now down to the political parties to make election commitments to bring in a ban without delay and ahead of the December 2015 implementation date set out in the Government’s draft legislation which they have failed to progress. ADI will be doing all it can to ensure that wild animals will not be forced to perform for yet another year.
The repeated failings of the circuses drive home the very urgent need for action. The interim licensing system introduced two years ago ahead of legislation being brought in has proved to be unfit for purpose. Its own reports highlight the difficulty of enforcing welfare and public safety provisions. The secret licence applications and inspection reports are not publicly available and have only been released under Freedom of Information Act requests by ADI. The most recent reports reveal that one of the two remaining circuses with wild animals failed to prevent public access to animals despite being instructed to ensure public safety on three previous occasions, in breach of licensing requirements.
Every inspection report since the regulations were introduced have highlighted animal welfare concerns and, together with ADI’s video evidence, clearly demonstrate that it is not possible to safeguard the welfare of wild animals in circuses. The reports also show how public safety is being put at risk.
Opposition to the use of wild animals in circuses is overwhelming with support for the ban uniting Parliament and the public alike. Just last week, an ADI delegation of cross-party MPs, conservationist Stanley Johnson and social justice campaigner Peter Tatchell delivered a 20,000-strong petition calling on David Cameron to act, almost a year after the Prime Minister gave a personal promise that wild animals in circuses will be banned.
Worldwide, 30 countries have national prohibitions on animal circuses and similar laws are now under discussion in several more, including the US where one of America’s biggest circuses, Ringling Bros. and Barnham and Bailey Circus, announced yesterday it will stop using elephants in its shows stating “There’s been somewhat of a mood shift among our consumers.”
Take action!
- Contact your MP and ask them to ensure their party is committed to a ban on wild animals in circuses in their manifestos
- Contact your local candidates ahead of the General Election and ask for their views on the ban. If you need assistance identifying candidates, please contact the ADI office
- Make a donation – ADI is securing lasting change for circus animals around the world, help us do more!
Comments
Leave a comment on this story
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Using animals in these circuses have to stop permanently.. no questions about that. Too much with abuse. Enough is enough. No animal ever deserves to be abused,neglected or killed for anything at all ever!!!!
Its about time all animal acts were banned, using animals for entertainment is cruel and unnecessary, the conditions they are kept in are usually poor and their treatment is not good, It is about time all live animal acts were banned. Animals have no voice and we should make sure they are not used and abused in this manner.
Animals were not created to entertain us, to improve our sexual gratification, or their body parts to be made into trinkets.
This has got to STOP.. It is NOT OK….
STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP CRUELTY FULL STOP,FULL STOP.NO MORE VIOLENCE AND ABUSE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
please do something to stop circuses using animals under their abusive ways in the treatment of these animals. Would you please ensure that this will be on your agenda after the election to stop circuses brutality and to stop animals being used in circuses in England
It’s cruel evil barbaric unecessary must be put to an end once and for all!
no animals shud live in cages n be abused this is cruel n wrong stop all captivity n end the suffering
NO ANIMAL SHOULD EVER BE USED, ABUSED , IN CIRCUS,S FOR THE SICK ENTERTAINMENT OF HUMANS, AND FOR MONEY MAKING OWNERS, OF THESE CRUEL , DEGRADING , SHOCKING SPECTACLES ! ! ! BAN ALL ANIMALS NOW . STOP THEIR MISERABLE , PAIN AND SUFFERING, IN THESE HELL HOLES ! ! !
To whom it may concern;
Wild animals belong in the wild not in a circus performing ridiculous acts for the sake of entertainment. These animals would never perform those acts or behave the way they are forced to do in the circuses, but because they are beaten absurd starved they gave no other choice but to live a miserable life.
It’s time to end their misery and close down wild animal performances once and for all
Please stop using wild animals in circuses.
Please stop animal circuses. It’s time the government did what is right and make these circuses stop now and fine them harshly and take the animals away to a sanctuary
PLEASE DON’T KEEP ANIMALS LIKE THIS!!!!
Please help these animals by stopping circuses abuse them! They are not treated kindly, we all know that, and for what, an outdated show which isn’t worth seeing, but their lives are worth saving!!
No point contacting my MP he stopped the bill getting passed A Rosindel
VERY EASY, BAN ALL CIRCUSES TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PRONTO!!!!!!!!!!!
Stop enslaving animals!! Its 2015, wake up!!!!!!!! No one wants to see suffering animals anymore. The belong with their families in the wild!!!!
Please end animal abuse. Enough is enough. Find another way to make money. Stop making blood money
Time to end this banal form or entertainment & abuse of animal
Look after these lovely animals if you care.
END THE USE OF WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES NOW