ADI Applauds North Lanarkshire Council For Voting To Ban Animal Circuses
12 years ago
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Posted
13th March, 2012 16h19
Animal Defenders International (ADI) is delighted that North Lanarkshire Council has decided to ban all travelling circuses with performing animals from its land.
This decision follows a recent announcement by East Ayrshire Council who voted to ban animal circuses on their land and compliments a motion which was introduced in the Scottish Parliament last week calling for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
Jan Creamer, ADI’s Chief Executive said: “North Lanarkshire Councillors are to be applauded for their decision which prevents animals in circuses performing on Council land. Scottish Councils continue to send a strong signal to Government that it is time for national bans to be introduced and demonstrates the key role that local authorities can play to stop animal suffering in circuses.”
“We are encouraged that the Scottish Parliament is taking a proactive lead on this important animal welfare issue as pressure continues to mount on the British Parliament to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.“
“As the Scottish Parliament tables a motion calling for a ban and the British Parliament continues to consider its position in the face of overwhelming evidence and public opinion that clearly points toward a ban, we hope that the respective Governments will recognise, through the activities of these Councils, the public and politicians, that the UK is calling for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses and demands it - now.”
North Lanarkshire Council has refused applications from Bobby Roberts Super Circus to lease Council land. This is the very circus that ADI caught on film last year abusing ‘Anne’, the last remaining circus elephant. ADI’s graphic footage showed Anne permanently chained up and beaten and the public outrage led to Anne being removed from the circus. Anne was one of the last wild animals to visit Scotland and ADI hopes that she is the last.
South of the border, the UK Government has recently announced a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses, but continues to press ahead with a system of licensing, a decision that has been derided by Animal Defenders International as cynical, misleading and deliberately disregarding the will of Parliament.
The Government continues to drag its feet over enacting an outright ban, which has received support from over 94% of the public, and an overwhelming vote in Parliament’s Backbencher’s Committee last year where MPs unanimously approved a motion directing the government to ban the use of wild animals in circuses by July 2012. Shortly after the Prime Minister was quoted as saying that he was ‘minded’ to ban.
Tim Phillips ADI Campaigns Director said: “Animals, public and Parliament deserve better. The proposed regulations cannot possibly protect animals from the abuses that ADI has exposed behind the scenes in circuses such as Anne being beaten and chained to the ground. In fact our investigations have shown how inspectors have been regularly duped by circuses concealing violence, chains used to shackle elephants, and even hiding sick animals.”
“Whilst Defra prevaricate in England, we are urging the Scottish Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly to press ahead and ban the use of wild animals in circuses. Constantly travelling from place to place and living almost the entire year in temporary accommodation, the welfare of these animals is inevitably compromised.”
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