So much for ‘retirement’
May 2007

Circus elephant is not retired says CAPS

Week in, week out, CAPS highlights the plight of animals still used in UK circuses. Around 200 animals remain, including dogs, horses, lions, tigers, a bear, zebras and birds. One animal continues to grab the attention of the press and that is 54-year-old Anne, an Asian elephant used at the Bobby Roberts Circus.

CAPS has exposed Anne’s conditions for many years as well as the circus’ increasing desperation in making claims that have been criticised as inaccurate by the Advertising Standards Authority.

Anne is still carted around with the circus, which moves venues usually on a weekly basis. At each new venue CAPS speaks to the local press, encouraging the public to avoid the circus and instead visit one of the many excellent all-human shows.

One of the arguments used by the Bobby Roberts Circus in their defence of carting Anne around is that she is ‘retired’ and no longer performs. They claim that she is a member of their family and would be upset if she was not taken on tour. However, CAPS disagrees with these claims. Let’s look at the facts:

• Anne is taken on tour with the circus for around ten months each year, usually moving between towns each week. The circus may travel as far apart as Peterborough and northern Scotland.
• During each performance of the circus (around ten times each week) Anne is taken into the ring so that people can pay £4 to have their photo taken with her.
• In 2005, the circus rented Anne to the AA (Automobile Association) for use in a TV advert. Following a campaign by CAPS the AA changed the advert to cut out the clip of Anne and agreed to stop using captive wild animals in their ads. The AA had paid the circus £6,500 for the use Anne.
• In the same year, the Royal Bank of Scotland used Anne in a print advert for its MINT credit card. After CAPS complained, the RBS said it had no intention of using captive animals in future ads.
• In 2006, the circus made thousands of pounds by again renting Anne out for use in a TV ad for Toyota. Once more, following a CAPS campaign, Toyota withdrew the advert and relaunched it without the footage of Anne.

More recently, in March 2007, Bobby Roberts Circus made £3,500 after using Anne in a publicity stunt in a small town near Stockton-on-Tees, North East England (see pics right). An artist hired Anne to appear at the opening of his exhibition at an art gallery. Photos and TV footage on the BBC news website show Anne being walked up a high street and being mobbed by public and reporters and touched by kids (the artist having invited a local primary school along).

CAPS has spoken to the local council about the public safety implications of allowing a 4.5 tonne elephant to walk along a main street and have contact with the public. Bobby Roberts is of course no stranger to the controversy of publicity stunts using elephants. In 1991 he was given a stern warning by Blackpool Council after he took an elephant out onto the streets. The town’s public protection committee was told that the stunt was in breach of Dangerous Wild Animals Act. The committee’s chair said: “We have decided not to prosecute this time but Mr Roberts will be sent a warning letter that we will take him to court if it happens again.” This was just a year after Bobby Roberts was nearly killed when one of his elephants, Maureen, went on a 4-hour rampage while appearing at the opening of a health clinic in Liverpool.

What you can do:

	The most important thing anyone can do to end circus animal suffering is simply to avoid any circus using animals. Instead, visit one of the many excellent circuses that rely totally on human skills - there are many more all-human circuses than ones using animals. Contact us for a list.
	Lobby your MP. The new Animal Welfare Act provides the ideal opportunity to end animal circuses. Ask your MP to encourage the government to ban the use of all animals in circuses. More information can be obtained from us.
	If an animal circus comes to your area ask shopkeepers not to put up posters for it. Write to local newspapers asking people to boycott the circus. Organise a protest - we can supply leaflets and ideas on how you can get active to help animals in circuses.
	Become a CAPS supporter - you can help to make a difference.

Photographs © BBC