Good news for Wild Animals in UK Circuses?
Austrian Decision Forces UK Government’s Hand on Future Use of Wild Animals in Circuses
22nd December 2011 A landmark judgement by the Austrian Constitutional Court in Vienna (21st December 2011) to reject a challenge by Germany’s Circus Krone to Austria’s decision to ban the use of wild animals in circuses could, at last, bring an end to this controversial and widely-rejected form of animal exploitation in England.
The British Government have, for the last year or more, claimed that fear of a legal challenge to any ban (under the European Convention on Human Rights or the EC Services Directive) has prevented the swift introduction of a ban by Westminster, despite overwhelming Parliamentary and public support for such a measure.
Referring to ‘legal obstacles’ and the ‘The Austrian case’, Defra Ministers have been advised, instead, to pursue a complicated and, in the view of many wildlife professionals (including the Born Free Foundation, The Captive Animals’ Protection Society, The RSPCA, the British Veterinary Association and others), unworkable licensing system.
However, the ruling by the Constitutional Court in Austria changes all that.
“I can see no reason now why DEFRA should persist with a licensing regime when the legal obstacles they feared have been blown away” said Will Travers CEO of the Born Free Foundation.
Born Free, CAPS, the RSPCA and the other groups have consistently maintained that the regime of circus life - involving the frequent haulage of wild animals from venue to venue, training and performance - cannot guarantee the necessary welfare standards for the wild animals involved.
Born Free Trustee, Jenny Seagrove, said: “Surely now the government will put in place what over 90% of the country wants and change the law to end the use of wild animals in circuses.”
The Foundation’s founder, Virginia McKenna OBE, stated: “What can now prevent our government from doing the right thing? The suffering of one creature is one too many and a ban would be humane, just and the right decision.”
Joanna Lumley, Born Free’s Founder Patron, called for government action to be swift and decisive: “The whole idea of setting up regulations was always a nonsense and now, with the way cleared for an outright ban, we all expect measures to be taken by the government as a matter of urgency to ensure that no wild animals will be compelled, once more, to ‘take to the road’ when the circus season starts again in 2012.”
Born Free, CAPS, the RSPCA and others will urgently be seeking clarification and assurances from Environment Secretary, Caroline Spelman MP, confirming that the government’s New Year’s Resolution will be move with all speed to bring the curtain down on the use of wild animals in circuses.
See below for some of the history of the debate.
Landmark victory in progress to ban wild animals in circuses in England
23rd June 2011
MPs unanimously agree to support motion to ban wild animals in circuses under the Animal Welfare Act.
After a highly-charged debate in Parliament yesterday, MPs of all parties voted in an astonishing show of unity to ban wild animals in circuses, in defiance of the Government’s proposals to introduce a licensing and regulation system.
Chris Draper, Born Free’s Senior Scientific Researcher, was present for the debate: “I am astounded and delighted by the strength of feeling among MPs on this issue. Something that came through very strongly is that MPs took notice of the letters and emails received from their constituents. While the battle is not yet fully won, this is a significant step forward”.
A motion tabled by Mark Pritchard (Cons), Jim Fitzpatrick (Lab) and Bob Russell (Lib Dem) in support of a ban was initially opposed by Government, but mid-way through the debate a free vote was announced, which allowed MPs to vote independently rather than following particular Party positions.
The decision by MPs is not binding on Government, but the representative Minister on this issue in the House of Commons, Jim Paice, indicated that the Government would consider their position in the light of the vote. We will keep you updated as we find out more.
To find out more about the debate, which has been described as particularly “sparky” and candid by commentators, please see the following links:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jun/23/government-mps-circus-animals
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13895186
Born Free is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Virginia McKenna OBE to meet MPs in Westminster, prior to historic vote on wild animals in circuses.
Legendary actress and animal welfare campaigner calls on Government to back a ban.
On Thursday, a backbench debate will take place in Parliament which will allow MPs to vote on whether wild animals should be banned from travelling circuses. While the vote will not be binding to Government, the Born Free Foundation and other animal welfare groups are united in welcoming the opportunity for MPs to represent the wishes of the majority of their constituents by voting for a ban.
Virginia McKenna OBE, Founder of the Born Free Foundation, will attend a briefing session for MPs prior to the debate and vote. Ms McKenna said today: “This issue has dragged on long enough, and all the while wild animals continue to be transported from pillar to post and housed in inadequate environments – all in the name of so-called entertainment. Such a situation should be unthinkable in the second decade of the 21st Century. We firmly believe that a ban should be put in place as a matter of priority, and our view is shared by the RSPCA, the British Veterinary Association and many other responsible animal welfare organisations. More importantly, the majority of the public support a ban. I look forward to meeting as many MPs as possible on Thursday, and I sincerely hope that they will turn out to vote with their conscience as the elected representatives of their caring and compassionate constituents.”
In a public consultation carried out under the previous Government, 94.5% of respondents favoured a ban on wild animals in circuses; while successive public opinion polls put the support for a ban among the British public at more than 70%. However, the position of the Government is currently that a regulation and licensing system should be introduced.
The use of wild animals in circuses is still very much a live debate.
Mark Prichard MP (Con), Jim Fitzpatrick MP (Lab) and Bob Russell MP (Lib Dem), all long-standing animal welfare campaigners, have secured Parliament’s first ever ‘votable’ Debate on banning the use of wild animals in circuses. This Debate will take place in the Main Chamber of the House of Commons at 3.00pm on Thursday 23rd June.
The motion proposed is:
“That this House urges the Government to use its powers under section 12 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to introduce a regulation banning the use of all wild animals in circuses."
Please, without delay, contact your Member of Parliament and ask him or her to attend this vital debate and to support the motion.
A briefing session will take place from 2-3.30pm on 23rd June in Portcullis House, where MPs can meet our Founder, Virginia McKenna OBE, and representatives from Born Free Foundation, RSPCA and others to hear the facts on circuses before they vote.
Find your Member of Parliament's contact details here >
Wednesday 8th June Westminster Hall Adjournment Debate - read Born Free CEO Will Travers' comments here
NGOs united against wild animals in circuses
31st May 2011
Born Free Foundation and other organisations have sent an open letter to David Cameron, calling on him to review the Government’s plans to introduce a licensing system for circuses with wild animals, and to implement a ban instead. Read the letter here.
If you have time could you also write to the Prime Minister, urging him to reflect the wishes of the majority of the public, and to reconsider any decision to withdraw a proposed ban on wild animals in circuses.
How to contact David Cameron:
http://www.number10.gov.uk/footer/contact-us
The UK’s Remaining Wild Animals in Circuses Need You!
- Handing in the petition containing over 20,000 signatures. Left to right Liz Tyson (Captive Animals Protection Society), Harvey Locke (British Veterinary Association), Virginia McKenna (Born Free Foundation), Martin Hickman (The Independent), Ros Clubb (RSPCA), Will Travers (BFF)
12th May 2011
Given the recent evidence of the abuse suffered by Anne the elephant, you would think that a country that prides itself on its compassion for animals would act promptly to guarantee such a situation could never happen again.
Done deal? No! In 2005 Austria banned the use of wild animals in circuses and the circus industry tried to have that decision over-turned. However, the European Commission dismissed the circus challenge saying that the welfare of animals in circuses should be a matter for individual governments to decide.
Case closed? No! Our ‘listening’ Government should be supporting Austria, and should be representing the wishes of the vast majority of the British people, by bringing in a ban in this country. Instead it appears that they want to perpetuate this abusive and outdated animal exploitation industry.
Right call? No!
Along with CAPS and Care for the Wild International, we have written and published the following open letter to the Prime Minister:
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE DAVID CAMERON MP.
On behalf of
Born Free Foundation
Captive Animals Protection Society
Care For The Wild International
Dear Prime Minister,
On behalf of the undersigned organisations, our many hundreds of thousands of supporters and millions of compassionate citizens, we are writing express the dismay and disbelief felt by almost everyone (except the handful of circus owners and a miniscule number of circus-goers) caused by the fact that our ‘listening’ Coalition Government has become deaf to the entreaties of the public who wish to see an end to the exploitation of wild animals in circuses.
Despite previous statements to the contrary, the Environment Secretary’s announcement on Friday 13th May dashed the hopes of a nation by declaring that circuses with wild animals would not cease but, instead, be subject to a ‘new licensing regime’ aimed at ensuring ‘high welfare standards’.
Defra states that the following areas are being considered as part of the licensing conditions:
- The rules for the transport of animals including how long animals can spend being transported without rest periods – This means wild animals will still be on the road. Loaded and unloaded from beast wagons subject to the circus timetable and business imperative.
- The type of quarters that must be provided for the animal, including the size of the quarters and the facilities provided, including winter quarters – so wild animals in circuses will still have to endure temporary enclosures when they are on the road which would not even pass the most minimal standards were they applied to a zoo.
- The treatment of animals by trainers and keepers, including performance and the training methods that may be used – How will this be monitored? Clearly, as undercover footage has shown time and time again – and most recently in the case of Anne the elephant – a lot goes on behind the scenes, away from the public gaze. Unless there is 24 hour unannounced access to the animals by bona fide animal welfare organisation representatives, 365 days a year we cannot guarantee that abuse will not take place.
The Defra statement goes on “The licensing scheme will be enforced through inspections by government-approved vets”. Extraordinary! Given this Government’s stated objective of reducing red-tape and the regulatory burden, to announce that circuses will be subject to inspection, presumably at every site that they turn up at because sites are different, using Government-approved vets, ramps-up the regulatory burden out of recognition. Ending the use of wild animals in circuses will end the regulatory burden once and for all.
And your justification for this move? Have the years of research into the subject shown compelling evidence that circuses can provide for the animals in question? No. Have the public shown overwhelming support to preserve this "traditional" practice? No. Has political support for regulation been strong? No. The one and only reason that Defra cites for this shameful turnaround is a legal challenge to the Austrian ban on the use of wild animals in circuses (which was introduced in 2005), but this is old news. The Austrian ban is still in place and the European Circus Association’s complaint to the European Commission has been rejected. Why has the government decided at this crucial moment to resurrect this issue when civil servants must have been aware of it for years?
It is policy gone mad! The Government has literally snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and ignored the tens of thousands of people who have signed petitions, expressed their views as part of the 2010 Public Consultation process, not to mention the 189 MPs who have signed EDM 403. The campaign is also supported by the RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association.
We, along with the thousands of members of the public who have voiced their opinions so clearly and concisely, request that the government reconsider and accept that the only possible solution to truly protect the welfare of wild animals currently in circuses is to ban the circuses from keeping them.
Yours sincerely,
Will Travers, CEO, Born Free Foundation
Liz Tyson, Director, Captive Animals' Protection Society
Mark Jones, Programmes Director, Care for the Wild International
TAKE ACTION
Please write to the Prime Minister, urging him to reflect the wishes of the majority of the public, and to reconsider any decision to withdraw a proposed ban on wild animals in circuses.
How to contact No. 10: http://www.number10.gov.uk/footer/contact-us
Further Links:
Prof. Donald Broom, Professor of Animal Welfare at the University of Cambridge, speaks out against the use of wild animals in circuses:
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