Fw: Singapore ban on wild circus animals from 2002

[Guest guest]

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,1870,14047,00.html

 

ELEPHANTS coming to Singapore with travelling circuses have been told to

pack their trunks as they will no longer be welcome here.

 

Nor will lions, tigers and other animals of the jungle who wish to

perform in the country.

 

The new rules, effective Jan 1, 2002, are in response to concerns over

public safety and animal welfare, with a global increase in the number

of accidents and abuse involving such animals, the Agri-food and

Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said.

 

'In some cases, the accidents have resulted in serious injuries to both

trainers and the public,' the AVA said.

 

India, Sweden and Israel already have such rules in place, and Great

Britain is considering adopting similar legislation.

 

Domesticated animals such as dogs, horses and birds are, however, not

affected by the new rules.

 

The AVA regards them as less of a danger to the public and their welfare

is less of a problem as they do not need to be kept confined in cages.

 

Animal performances at the Singapore Zoo and Jurong BirdPark will also

not be affected by the ban as the animals there do not need to travel

and are housed in an environment that is designed to be as close to

their natural habitat as possible.

 

One of AVA's major concerns is the need to house wild animals in cages

for prolonged periods while they are on the road.

 

No accidents or cases of animal cruelty involving wild circus animals

have been reported here, but more than 115 incidents have occured

worldwide during the past 10 years, according to The Humane Society of

the United States.

 

In April this year, a six-year-old boy was killed and eaten by five

lions in front of hundreds of spectators at a circus in Sao Paulo,

Brazil.

 

Three months earlier, a performing elephant killed a circus trainer in

Florida, United States.

 

Singapore saw its last travelling wild-animal show in June 1998 when The

Great Moscow Circus performed here.

 

The AVA said no similar performances were planned for next year, but

should any take place, circus owners would have to comply with tougher

safety and welfare terms.

 

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has welcomed

the move.

 

'We applaud the Government for taking this decision,' said SPCA

executive officer Deirdre Moss. 'It is something we have been hoping for

for some time.'