Briefing from Animal Defenders International

30 November 2004

Draft Animal Welfare Bill

The new Bill's provisions concerning performing animals, and in particular circus animals, are not only entirely inadequate and at odds with the weight of evidence of sufferng in circuses, but also, with public opinion. The Bill not only fails to stop the severe confinement of animals with travelling circuses, but also ignores the use of violence and force to train and control animals in entrertainment.

The Government has suggested that the use of animals in circuses should be licensed. Yet such a move will legitmise the very worst aspects of animal circuses.

Circus animals spend almost their entire lives living in temporary accomodation on the back of transporters, travelling from one makeshift encampment to another. With the best will in the world, circuses simply cannot provide the facilities necessary to keep their animals happy and healthy.

Furthermore, licensing will do nothing to protect animals being trained or performing in circuses from violence, withdrawal of food, or intimidation.

ADI has provided the Government with a wealth of evidence of suffering endured by animals in travelling circuses. Our studies have involved thousands of hours of observation, hundreds of hours of videotaped evidence and in some instances, successful cruelty convictions such as the Mary Chipperfield Cawley case. The major animal welfare groups in the UK which deal with this issue are in aggreement that it is not possible to provide circus animals with adequate protection, or suitable facilities, due to the nature of travelling shows.

The public as voted with its feet, and animal cicuses are less popular that in the past. It is therefore extremely disappointing, to say the least, to hear the Government suggest that due to the decline in popularity of animal circuses, there is no need to provide legal protection in terms of a ban. ADI believes that this is exactly the right time to finally consign this arachaic abuse of animals to the history books.

Within the current framework of the draft Animal Welfare Bill there is the opportunity to do this.