Lorry used to transport elephants with German trainers the Scholl family

Ring of Cruelty - An Investigation into Animal Circuses in Ireland in 2006

Where the animals come from

The source of animals in circuses in Ireland is difficult to monitor, particularly as they are regularly moved between circuses.

Inquiries by CAPS established that there is a major trade in animals from across Europe to circuses in Ireland. According to figures from the Department of Agriculture and Food, the following animals were imported into Ireland by circuses in 2004 and 2005:

This giraffe was imported from Germany

Numbers and species change on an annual basis.

There are clear welfare problems in transporting animals over such huge distances and then transporting them around Ireland for up to ten months at a time. Circuses in Ireland often only stay at one venue for two or three days before moving on, so the animals are rarely provided the opportunity to settle into new surroundings and are subjected to confinement and regular transportation.

There is no legislation specifically concerning the private keeping of dangerous wild animals in the Republic of Ireland. The ISPCA claim that this has resulted in a large trade in certain species; although legal, such unregulated trade raises serious animal welfare concerns. The animal welfare problems and risks to health and safety of people are massive.

 

International transportation of animals
In 2005, a rhino and hippo belonging to an Italian circus were transported around Ireland with Circus Hoffenburg. After approximately ten months in Ireland the animals were sent back to the continent around October 2005.

The rhino and hippo were transported in this lorry from Europe to Ireland

In January 2006, CAPS discovered that a truck (see right) carrying the same rhino and hippo was on its way back to Ireland, a journey of around 1,000 miles. The animals were carried by ship into England and then by road through Wales. Unable to go by ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare, the lorry was diverted to Holyhead. After at least a couple of days on the road, the lorry was involved in road accident in west Wales.

Then, just 15 miles further on, the lorry broke down; the driver had no money for diesel or animal food and the lorry had two flat tyres. After six hours stuck in a lay-by the truck was back on the road.

No local or national government officials CAPS spoke to in England or Wales were aware of the animals and it appears that no officials inspected the animals after either incident.

The vehicle then went by ferry to Dun Laoighaire and by road to Kilkenny where the animals were to join the American Three Ring Circus (better known as Circus Vegas). Despite CAPS sending an urgent request to the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAF) in Dublin with our concerns for the welfare of the animals, it took five months to get a detailed response (and only after a formal complaint to the Ombudsman and the Minister for Agriculture and Food).

In that response, DAF stated that, although it had given permits to import the animals, the delay had not been reported to it so it was not aware that the animals had arrived. Although a local vet checked the animals after arrival, the Animal Health Division did not check the animals until five months after our initial complaint. DAF stated that they found no “cause for concern” on either inspection.

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