URGED TO BOYCOTT CONTROVERSIAL ANIMAL CIRCUS AS IT RETURNS TO SCOTLAND

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Message source: " Herma Caelen " <herma.caelen

 

 

 

News [news<news%40advocatesforanimals.org>]

 

Wednesday, July 18, 2007 12:10 PM

news <news%40advocatesforanimals.org>

FW: ADVOCATES FOR ANIMALS - NEWS RELEASE - PUBLIC URGED TO BOYCOTT

CONTROVERSIAL ANIMAL CIRCUS AS IT RETURNS TO SCOTLAND - Wednesday 18 July

2007

 

NEWS RELEASE

Wednesday 18 July 2007 – For Immediate Use

 

PUBLIC URGED TO BOYCOTT CONTROVERSIAL ANIMAL CIRCUS AS IT RETURNS TO

SCOTLAND - COUNCIL BANS ELEPHANT PERFORMANCE

 

Advocates for Animals and the Captive Animals' Protection Society (CAPS) are

asking the public to boycott a controversial animal circus that will be

performing in Kilmarnock this week. The Bobby Roberts Circus is the only

remaining circus to tour the UK with an elephant and is performing at the

Scott Ellis Playing Fields, Kilmarnock from 17-22 July.

 

Animal circuses raise many welfare concerns, such as the dubious methods

used to train animals, the inadequate temporary housing while 'on tour', the

unnatural social grouping and the constant travelling the animals are forced

to endure throughout the circus season.

 

The Bobby Roberts Circus is one of just eight circuses in the UK to still

use animals, including performing horses, camels, dogs and an elephant. The

circus is constantly on the move for months on end, usually moving on a

weekly basis. CAPS receives more complaints about the Bobby Roberts Circus

than any other in the UK.

 

On Monday East Ayrshire Council decided to ban the circus from using Anne1

the elephant in any public performance or for any other commercial venture

associated with the circus whilst within its jurisdiction. This decision was

welcomed by Advocates for Animals and CAPS who, along with members of the

public, had lodged objections with the Council. The circus plans to move on

to Dumfries next and the organisations have asked Dumfries and Galloway

Council to impose similar conditions on the use of the elephant.

 

Anne1, the 54-year-old elephant, has arthritis yet is still transported from

site to site so that visitors can have their photo taken with her. Anne, the

only elephant in the UK to be owned by a circus, has been the focus of

national media attention amid calls for her to be allowed to be re-homed to

a sanctuary. Sadly these calls and offers of support have so far been

rejected by her owners.

 

This could be the last time that an animal circus is allowed to tour in

Scotland as the Scottish Executive plans to consult on the use of animals in

travelling circuses with a view to prohibiting the use of certain wild

animals. Advocates and CAPS would like to see an end to the use of all

animals – both wild and domesticated - in circuses. The organisations

 

Advocates' Director, Ross Minett, said: " We're very pleased that East

Ayrshire Council took our concerns seriously and has put restrictions on the

use of Anne the elephant. In considering the licence application, the

councillors were unfortunately limited in what they could do to protect her

welfare. However, the conditions the council has imposed regarding how the

circus can use Anne gives a clear message that traipsing an old and

arthritic elephant around the country and using her for public entertainment

is completely inappropriate. We hope that other Scottish Councils will

impose similar conditions.

 

By their very nature travelling circuses cannot provide the space and

necessary requirements to meet the needs of animals. We will now be asking

East Ayrshire Council to consider following the example set by other

councils by introducing a policy of not allowing any animal circuses on its

land, which is an effective way of preventing this sort of situation from

arising.

 

Under the new Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act, Ministers are

expected to make regulations to cover the use of animals in circuses, and we

are hopeful that we will soon see a complete ban on the use of all animals

in circuses in Scotland - a reform that is surely long overdue. Until this

happens, we would encourage members of the public to turn their backs on

circuses which use animals and instead visit one of the many varied

non-animal shows. "

 

Craig Redmond, CAPS' Campaigns Manager, added: " CAPS is not opposed to

circuses, only to the use of animals, and we would encourage people to avoid

those circuses that still use animals and instead visit one of the many

excellent circuses that rely only on human skills. In the 21st century there

can be no excuse for continuing to allow the treatment of animals in this

way " .

 

- ENDS -

 

Notes to Editors

 

For interviews, photographs or further information contact:

Advocates for Animals, Ross Minett (Campaigns Director): 0131 2256039 /

07946 517585.

CAPS, Craig Redmond (Campaigns Manager): 0845 330 3911 / 07939 264 864.

 

1 54-year-old Anne was bought by the circus from Sri Lanka when she

was 5-years-old; She has not had the companion of other elephants since the

circus' other elephants died (the last in 2002); Although Anne no longer

performs tricks in the ring she is not retired – she is transported with the

circus and people can pay to have their photo taken alongside her. The

circus has also rented her out for use in TV ads; She is the only elephant

to be used in a British circus.

Elephants can suffer terribly when kept in captivity. They are highly

intelligent animals that have complex social lives and travel many miles a

day in the wild.

For more information see:

http://www.captiveanimals.org/elephants/anne.htm

An image of Anne is available from

info<info%40captiveanimals.org>

 

 

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