The Circus at Rochford, near Southend-on-Sea, Essex is going to be performing for the next 3 ½ weeks – Tuesday 12th August 2008 to Sunday 7th September – and it still uses animals! I am really upset as I didnt realise this.
I saw signs for the temporary Circus in Southend that starts this week and forgot all about it until I saw it on the news this evening. I have to say, I never realised that they use animals in their acts. I, naively, thought that circuses were not allowed to use animals in ANY of their acts, but this one has five elephants (one African, 2 Indian and Two Asian), Lions, Tigers, camels, Llamas, Ponies, Reindeer and horses …. I cannot believe this is being allowed. Caging animals in Zoos is bad enough, and it gives us the option to go and view many different species, but no-one needs to see animals in a circus – there are other ways!
The News Reporter was allowed a chat with someone from the Circus, who advised and showed how good the facilities and food was for the elephants, but refused to allow photos or filming with the other animals as the ‘images would not do the facilities justice’. So, all that says to me is that the facilities are not acceptable – everyone shouts if they have something good to show, but keep secret those things that are bad.
Apparently, the elephants are used in the show, doing what is natural to them, but how can that be?
The RSPCA said that using animals was a disgrace.
Proven Animal Cruelty Update!!! Today (22nd August) I have decided to update this post, as I have now heard that video footage has been released by an animal rights group, to the circus, showing savage beatings of 3 of the elephants by staff members of the circus. The elephants were shown in the video crying out in pain. The Great British Circus have said that an inquiry will be held and that one of the staff members in the video has since been dismissed. Footage shows workers hitting the circus’s three elephants with a large metal hook and they can be seen crying out in pain.
The Animal Defenders Group has claimed the video shows a “staggeringly high level of casual abuse”.
Chief executive of the group, Jan Creamer, said: “This is not about one bad apple. This is about a culture of violence and confinement. In the name of entertainment these elephants are beaten, jabbed with hooks, chained up for hours every day, and pushed into a metal box each week where they remain for hours on end while the circus moves to another site.
The undercover video footage was taken in early May. Next stop for the Circus is Colchester and Colchester Zoo Director, Anthony Tropeano, is urging the public not to visit the show. He said that “animal circuses belong in the 19th Century” and that he is surprised that people still find it acceptable to see them – and I have to agree with him!!!
The Government must ban the use of animals in Circuses as abuse is too common! Ms Creamer added “The public wants to see a ban, Parliament wants a ban, animal protection groups want a ban. Surely, it is time for the Government to take action to stop this suffering right now.”
The Department for the Environment said work was under way on whether the Government should regulate the use of wild animals in circuse. The report is due to be finished later this year.
More info on the Circus………
This is what the website – http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1371 had to say about the Circus………….The “Great” British Circus is in Rochford at Southend Road B1013, Nr Airport opposite the Anne Boleyn pub, Rochford, Southend, Essex, SS4 1HU. There will be an Animals in Entertainment stall the Saturday before they arrive, in Southend on Sea, plus demonstrations once the Circus arrive. This is the only remaining circus touring the country with big cats, (tigers and lions), as well as other animals such as llamas, zebras, reindeers, goats and horses. They sadly have bred more baby tigers to live a life in captivity, with no natural contact with other so their own kind. If you live in the area please remove illegal flyposters, and try to persuade shops not to display posters.
Some more info here: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/southcoast/2006/08/349559.html
And see their website here: www.greatbritishcircus.co.uk
What do you think about this Circus – will you be going? Do you agree with the use of animals?
