Some Animal Circus Acts To Be Banned
The use of wild animals in British circuses could be about to end after the Parliaments in England and Scotland both recognised the inherent cruelties of travelling circuses. On 8 March, Animal Welfare Minister Ben Bradshaw announced in Westminster that he was setting out plans to ban the use of certain animals in travelling circuses. Mr Bradshaw commented that he would ban "the use in travelling circuses of certain non-domesticated species whose welfare needs cannot be satisfactorily met in that environment." He has not yet given any details of which species which he will prohibit the use of. The Bill is to move to the Lords, where CAPS is encouraging tougher action to end the use of all animals in circuses. Scottish Agriculture Minister Ross Finnie has also announced that he would be taking similar action under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill. The announcement came shortly ahead of a committee debate where Green MSP Mark Ruskell was tabling an amendment to ban animal circuses. That amendment has now been withdrawn but MSPs will encourage the government to give firmer commitment regarding the timescale for a ban. CAPS responded: "We welcome the commitment by both Parliaments to end the use of certain animals in circuses and are pleased that the governments finally accept the evidence that CAPS and others have put forward in support of a total ban on using animals in circuses. We now want a further commitment that the use of all animals will be banned in travelling circuses. CAPS was founded in 1957, and we hope that as we mark our 50th anniversary next year our years of dedication to ending the cruelty of animal circuses will come to fruition. While the announcement of these partial bans is a step in the right direction, CAPS is of course continuing to campaign for an end to the use of all animals in circuses. WHAT YOU CAN DO
Photographs © Captive Animals Protection Society (all photos were taken in UK circuses by CAPS investigators). |
