Tenbury circus visit provokes controversy (From Ludlow Advertiser)
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Tenbury circus visit provokes controversy
8:00am Saturday 23rd March 2013 in News By Adrian Kibbler
PEOPLE in Tenbury can this week enjoy a visit from Peter Jolly’s Circus.
It has been granted one of the first UK licences allowing the use of animals in its act.
But despite claims that this provides an assurance that animals are properly cared for and trained, an international animal welfare g roup is calling on people to boycott the circus.
The licence is issued under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012, which came into force on January 20 this year.
On March 1, last year the Government set out its approach to the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in England. It confirmed that it intends to pursue a ban on the use of such animals on ethical grounds.
DEFRA will publish draft legislation on the ban on wild animals in travelling circuses for scrutiny before legislation.
In the meantime, the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012 established a licensing scheme to protect the welfare of wild animals before a ban can take effect.
Government veterinary specialists have made rigorous checks on Jolly’s Circus, a member of the Classical Circus Association, over the past two years and further inspections have been carried out since November 2012.
Jolly’s Circus was found to be in complete compliance with the regulations, with no welfare problems.
The new licences were issued on March 13 for one year, and a further regime of inspections will ensure continued compliance.
Its aim is to ensure members who work with animals, practice, promote and maintain the highest possible animal welfare standards.
But Animal Defenders International (ADI) is calling on local residents to vote with their feet and boycott the circus when it performs in Tenbury.
“Animals with travelling circuses are on the road for almost the entire year,”
said Jan Creamer, chief executive of Animal Defenders International.
“That means they have to endure constant transportation and live in rudimentary, temporary accommodation.”
Over 20 countries around the world have now prohibited either all animals in circuses or wild animals and several more are working on legislation.
In the UK over 200 local authorities have considered the issue and introduced bans – the majority on all animal acts.
The Advertiser approached Jolly’s for a comment but had not receive a response at the time of going to press.
Comments(3)
paultimpson
says...
12:59pm Sun 24 Mar 13
CAPSWATCHER2 wrote:the first line says 'PEOPLE in Tenbury can this week enjoy a visit from Peter Jolly’s Circus' - Its a great shame the same can't be said for the animals. I bet Peter Jollys circus will never ever show a video of how they train their animals. In the 21st century what can people learn from a animal circus apart from teaching us that animals can be used and abused for our entertainment. Who can forget the video of Anne the elephant being beaten with a pitch fork? Boycott all animals circuses
Jan Creamer should invest a few of the ££££s that the public donate on a
DICTIONARY - She should then look the meaning of "constantly".Ci
rcus animals average an hour or two a week on the road and that is NOT constantly.
It is however long enough for the animals to be familiar with the routine and free from stress on the weekly or fortnightly move .DEFRA should know - not Jan or her well paid hangers on.
jdd_london
says...
7:59pm Mon 15 Apr 13
paultimpson wrote:I point of fact there are videos of the training of circus animals and it is the same used for domestic animals and can be cruelty free.
CAPSWATCHER2 wrote:the first line says 'PEOPLE in Tenbury can this week enjoy a visit from Peter Jolly’s Circus' - Its a great shame the same can't be said for the animals. I bet Peter Jollys circus will never ever show a video of how they train their animals. In the 21st century what can people learn from a animal circus apart from teaching us that animals can be used and abused for our entertainment. Who can forget the video of Anne the elephant being beaten with a pitch fork? Boycott all animals circuses
Jan Creamer should invest a few of the ££££s that the public donate on a
DICTIONARY - She should then look the meaning of "constantly".Ci
rcus animals average an hour or two a week on the road and that is NOT constantly.
It is however long enough for the animals to be familiar with the routine and free from stress on the weekly or fortnightly move .DEFRA should know - not Jan or her well paid hangers on.
There has been two reports commission on the welfare of animals in UK circuses.
The first was undertaken by Dr Marthe Kiley-Worthington and published in 1990 with the financial support of the RSPCA and The University Federation of Animal Welfare (UFAW). Dr Kiley-Worthington spent some 18 months studying all aspects of animals in circuses, including making detailed quantitative recordings of their behaviour for over 3000 animal hours Her conclusions were that circuses were by their nature not cruel and that any deficits in the husbandry of the animals within these environments could be addressed without the need of banning such enterprises.
To quote her: “..there is no reason why circus training, any more than any other animal training, of its nature causes suffering and distress to the animals, or should be considered ethically unacceptable"
A second circus animal welfare report by experts commissioned by DEFRA in 2007 and stated: “A ban on using wild animals in travelling circuses because of welfare concerns is not supported by the scientific evidence” and there was "little evidence" that the welfare of animals kept in travelling circuses was any better or worse than that of animals kept in other captive environments.
The often quote ‘scientific’ evidence use in support of banning circuses with animals “Are wild animals suited to a travelling circus life?” by Iossa, Soulsbury and Harris and published in 2009 is actually not direct research by a review of research and funded by the RSPCA. The authors do mention Kiley-Worthington research but fail to mention her prime conclusion that circuses by the nature are not cruel.
CAPSWATCHER2 says...
10:24am Sat 23 Mar 13
DICTIONARY - She should then look the meaning of "constantly".Circus animals average an hour or two a week on the road and that is NOT constantly.
It is however long enough for the animals to be familiar with the routine and free from stress on the weekly or fortnightly move .DEFRA should know - not Jan or her well paid hangers on.