Circus cautioned over Foot and Mouth disease breach
May 2008

The Great British Circus, one of just 8 in the UK to still use animals, has received an official warning from Trading Standards officers for breaching measures aimed at containing the Foot and Mouth disease.

The action came after CAPS informed Essex County Council that the circus moved susceptible animals, including camels, reindeer, goats and llamas, in August 2007.

Essex council recently confirmed that, following the report from CAPS, it issued a departmental caution and warned it would take legal action if any further breaches took place.

Foot and Mouth is an acute infectious disease spread to other animals by direct contact or through the movement of animals, people, vehicles and other things which have been contaminated by the virus.

At the time of the restrictions in August 2007, four UK circuses had susceptible animals.

Amazingly, the Bobby Roberts’ Circus, whose restricted animals included a camel and an elephant, saw business as normal due to DEFRA (Department of Environment) providing them with a licence to move animals every week. Why a circus could move susceptible animals each week but other people, such as farmers, were prevented from moving animals remained an unanswered question.

With circuses often moving venue each week they could play a major role in the transmission of Foot and Mouth disease. These circuses rely on farmers to provide land for their shows yet they could be putting those same farms at risk through their recklessness.

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