Wild animals to be banned from UK circuses

BBC

Circuses in England will be prohibited from using wild animals in their shows from the beginning of December 2015, the government has announced.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22167725

A great victory in animal rights as far as I'm concerned. The article goes on to mention that there are currently only 20 licensed wild animals working in circuses - but for those 20 and those that would've followed them, it's certainly excellent news. :smile:

It's just a shame that this Bill only seems to apply to England.

Reply 1

Hanshen

8

Funnily enough I would wager that this will actually be beneficial to the circus. The decline in the circus sector is well documented. Animal acts generally are one of the most financially draining and controversial aspects of the industry. Much in the same way banning marketing in the cigarette industry boosted industry profits, I would wager this legislation will do the same.

In other words, from a game theory perspective, you are shifting the equilibrium. If one competitor invests in an animal show and you don't, all of a sudden you (assume) you'd lose market share to your competitor. Therefore you are almost forced to have an animal show in a tit for tat sort of way. By removing animal shows all together the margins would increase dramatically.

Reply 2

FCI

im not necessarrily 'anti or pro- circus' but whats the point, dont tons more animals die in racing (ie horse racing) than in circuses?

What a buzz kill

Original post by miser

A great victory in animal rights as far as I'm concerned.

And a small victory for the human race.

Reply 5

miser

OP

20

Original post by FCI

im not necessarrily 'anti or pro- circus' but whats the point, dont tons more animals die in racing (ie horse racing) than in circuses?

Wild animals' needs can't be adequately addressed in a travelling circus environment - the point is not to let people mistreat animals for money.

I would similarly be against a ban on horse racing, but that's still much further from being realised (though I was surprised by how much support it seems to have).

Reply 6

Am I Really Here

5

People can buy a snake from a pet shop and keep them God knows where. In fact I found this website just from a Google search:http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/

I could buy a Desert King Snake for under £50!

I certainly support this for Zebras, Camels and the like, but it seems rather tokenistic when you can buy a massive array of exotic animals online, legally, in the UK, with many of them caught in the wild. Perhaps they'll start working on this next.

(edited 11 years ago)

Silly.

Original post by Am I Really Here

People can buy a snake from a pet shop and keep them God knows where. In fact I found this website just from a Google search:http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/

I could buy a Desert King Snake for under £50!

I certainly support this for Zebras, Camels and the like, but it seems rather tokenistic when you can buy a massive array of exotic animals online, legally, in the UK, with many of them caught in the wild. Perhaps they'll start working on this next.

that snake you're on about is captive bred, as are the vast majority of most exotic pets in the uk.

Reply 9

Fleurie

really good... i've been to 3 circuses this year with wild animals such as lions, tigers, hippos (not in england ofc) and it just seems really horrible for them. zoos are fine as they have their own habitat, enough space etc. and they are well looked after... but at these circuses, my main problem besides the tiny space and travelling they have to put up with... is what they must go through to to be trained like that. even the horses. dogs were the only ones i didn't take issue with as dogs are treated like family and are easy to train. most of the horses had cuts on them and one of the tigers was bleeding after the tamer guy poked him... the cats (domestic cats) were clearly starved as they were desparate to do all these tricks for a tiny mosel of food and they were very thin... i hated each circus, which was a shame as the actual acrobatics part (which took up a tiny proportion compared to all the animals) was actually really amazing and entertaining... the clowns were funny too.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 10

miser

OP

20

Original post by Aspiringlawstudent

Silly.

Do you believe that profit is more important than preventing the mistreatment of animals?

Reply 11

aranexus

12

Original post by Fleurie

really good... i've been to 3 circuses this year with wild animals such as lions, tigers, hippos (not in england ofc) and it just seems really horrible for them. zoos are fine as they have their own habitat, enough space etc. and they are well looked after... but at these circuses, my main problem besides the tiny space and travelling they have to put up with... is what they must go through to to be trained like that. even the horses. dogs were the only ones i didn't take issue with as dogs are treated like family and are easy to train. most of the horses had cuts on them and one of the tigers was bleeding after the tamer guy poked him... the cats (domestic cats) were clearly starved as they were desparate to do all these tricks for a tiny mosel of food and they were very thin... i hated each circus, which was a shame as the actual acrobatics part (which took up a tiny proportion compared to all the animals) was actually really amazing and entertaining... the clowns were funny too.

...and yet you went to three...

Reply 12

Fleurie

Original post by aranexus

...and yet you went to three...

yes i had to, for the kids of the family i am spending my gap year with... i didn't want to say no as the family is lovely and so generous and needed help with the kids.

Reply 13

Rascacielos

19

About time too. I hope those 20 'jobless' animals will be taken into care (if that's what you can call a 'zoo') although I'm sceptical that they will mysteriously 'disappear'.

I agree that it'll be better for circuses as a whole - I will be much more willing to go to one now.

Reply 14

Aspiringlawstudent

3

Original post by miser

Do you believe that profit is more important than preventing the mistreatment of animals?

I eat animals and wear clothes made out of animals all the time - I think killing an animal is a little more severe than using them in shows.

If I have no problem whatsoever with animals being killed so I can eat them, why would I be bothered by them working for my enjoyment?

Reply 15

miser

OP

20

Original post by Aspiringlawstudent

I eat animals and wear clothes made out of animals all the time - I think killing an animal is a little more severe than using them in shows.

If I have no problem whatsoever with animals being killed so I can eat them, why would I be bothered by them working for my enjoyment?

A very good point.

Reply 16

ozzyoscy

21

Original post by Aspiringlawstudent

I eat animals and wear clothes made out of animals all the time - I think killing an animal is a little more severe than using them in shows.

If I have no problem whatsoever with animals being killed so I can eat them, why would I be bothered by them working for my enjoyment?

Because anyone would rather be dead than tortured. Killing them (especially if humanely) causes far less pain than hourly torture for the rest of their lives, THEN probably killing them when they're too old or weak (and not likely ot be humanely). Plus you'd have to be more ****ed in the head to destroy an animal first before you kill it/him/her.

I don't think this is too baffling an idea.

Reply 17

Aspiringlawstudent

3

Original post by ozzyoscy

Because anyone would rather be dead than tortured. Killing them (especially if humanely) causes far less pain than hourly torture for the rest of their lives, THEN probably killing them when they're too old or weak (and not likely ot be humanely). Plus you'd have to be more ****ed in the head to destroy an animal first before you kill it/him/her.

I don't think this is too baffling an idea.