Animal protection and veterinary organisations unite to reject committee recommendations on wild animals in circuses
A select committee report released this morning on the UK Government’s proposals to ban the use of all wild animals in circuses in England has been strongly criticised by animal protection campaigners and the British Veterinary Association for its recommendation that any initial prohibition is limited only to big cats and elephants. The Born Free Foundation, Captive Animals' Protection Society and the British Veterinary Association point out that, given that there are no elephants or big cats in English circuses, any ban introduced along these lines would fail to protect any of the wild animals still being used in big tops around the country.
A spokesperson for the organisations said “in effect, a ban introduced on the basis that has now been recommended would be absolutely meaningless for those wild animals that the Government has promised to protect”.
In the new report to Government following scrutiny of draft legislation, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee states that opposition to the use of wild animals in circuses is based on the mistaken belief by the general public that elephants and big cats are still used in large numbers in English circuses. Campaigners have criticised this view saying that it is “pure conjecture which has no basis in evidence but which, if taken up by Government, would render the ban effectively meaningless”.
The three organisations are convinced that there is no evidence to support EFRA Committee’s view that public concern is focussed on big cats and elephants, nor that there is a general misunderstanding of the species and numbers of animals currently being used by circuses - as the information on this matter has been well-publicised for several years.
A spokesperson for the organisations said:
“To make this suggestion is to ignore the calls of the 94% of respondents to the 2010 public consultation on this matter, to dismiss the reams of evidence and opinion published in Hansard, and to overlook the outcome of dozens of hours of parliamentary debate, dating back to 2005 and earlier; all of which clearly demonstrate the overwhelming support for a ban on all wild animals in travelling circuses. We request in the strongest possible terms that the Government rejects this recommendation and continues with its commendable plan to ban the use of all wild animals in circuses in England, as promised.”
