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Animal Welfare Organisations Refuse To Participate In Ill-conceived Consultation On Wild Animals In Travelling Circuses

12 years ago
2094 views

Posted
23rd April, 2012 10h28


Statement on animal circus consultation from: Animal Defenders International, Animal Aid, Born Free Foundation, Captive Animals Protection Society, Four Paws, OneKind, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The undersigned leading animal protection and welfare organisations are dismayed at the Government’s continued pursuit of an inspection and licensing regime for wild animals in travelling circuses despite the clear wishes of the public expressed in Defra’s 2010 consultation, when 94.5% supported a ban. MPs passed a motion in 2011 directing the Government to introduce a ban. The majority of elected politicians have indicated a ban is the reasonable and practical way forward. The same Defra public consultation gave respondents the option to support either a ban or inspections – only 29.5% supported inspections. This new consultation does not provide that option and is therefore badly designed. While we welcome the Government’s long-term commitment “to pursue a ban on the use of [wild] animals [in circuses]” we cannot understand how an expensive and ill-conceived licensing regime can be justified, in place of a ban. Responsible animal welfare groups cannot endorse measures that we believe will fail to protect the welfare of animals and are likely to lead to continued, and perhaps increased, suffering of vulnerable animals for years to come. We have considered the Defra consultation and formed the same opinion – that we will not be taking part in the public consultation on the draft proposals, as we believe they would be a step backwards for animal welfare. Furthermore we are urging our supporters to contact Defra and let the Government know they will not accept such an approach. Our major areas of concern include: We strongly urge that the Government sticks to its declared intention to pursue a ban and bring this in sooner rather than later. In pursuing a poorly drafted licensing regime that sets standards at far too low a level (less than the poorest zoo), it is ignoring the views of the majority of welfare organisations, the public and elected politicians. This issue can be solved through regulations developed under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Government should follow the lead taken by other countries including Austria, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, Estonia, Denmark, Finland, the Czech Republic and Sweden. Animal Defenders International, Animal Aid, Born Free Foundation, Captive Animals Protection Society, Four Paws, OneKind, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 23 April 2012 [Note: The Defra public consultation on regulations for animal circuses will close on 25 April 2012]

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