Animal rights protest is planned outside circus tent (From Gazette)
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Great British Circus faces animal rights demo
9:30am Monday 27th July 2009 in News By Chris Wilkin
ANIMAL welfare campaigners say they’ll protest at a circus, due to open in Clacton tomorrow.
The Great British Circus claims to have the only group of performing elephants in the UK. It also boasts lions, tigers, camels, llamas, horses and reindeer.
Local campaigners claim using animals in circuses is cruel. They say they’ll be joined by protesters from across the county in demos aimed at persuading local people not to go inside the big top, on Clacton Airfield, in West Road.
Campaigner Jane Williams, from Frinton, said: “I cannot believe in this modern day and age, animals are being exploited in such a cruel manner. Circuses using animals is archaic and no longer has a place in today’s society.”
She claimed circus animals were “condemned to a lifetime of imprisonment”, adding: “These beautiful animals are not volunteers, they are slaves.
“They spend their lives imprisoned, touring the country in beast wagons and forced to perform demeaning acts in the name of entertainment. Animal exploitation for profit is not acceptable.”
“These beautiful animals are not volunteers, they are slaves. They spend their lives imprisoned, touring the country in beast wagons and forced to perform demeaning acts in the name of entertainment. Animal exploitation for profit is not acceptable.”
Frinton campaigner Jane Williams
Owner and ringmaster Martin Lacey, said Government inspections confirmed the animals were in excellent physical condition and seemed relaxed in their enclosures.
Mr Lacey added: “Our African elephant is called Sonja. Her mother was shot in an elephant cull and sold by the game park.
“Together with the two Asian elephants, Delhi and Vana Mana, they are great ambassadors for the species, entertaining and educating the public.”
Mr Lacey added his circus had been voted Best Circus with Animals five years running by the Circus Friends’ Association.
The circus will be at the airfield from tomorrow until August 9.
Comments(12)
Sdapeze
says...
1:06pm Mon 27 Jul 09
M G
says...
4:43pm Mon 27 Jul 09
These people clearly have far to much time on their hands.
paul_thomas
says...
11:47am Tue 28 Jul 09
Animals don’t belong in a circus. The constant transportation from town to town for eight months each year and confinement for long periods means that a travelling circus can never meet all of the needs of these animals, whether elephants, lions, tigers or horses.
Claims by circuses that animals are stimulated by performances are false. In fact, the same tricks are generally repeated for years.
Animals are trained away from the scrutiny of the public, politicians or welfare groups. Undercover investigations at circuses in the UK have revealed animals beaten with sticks, bars and whips and sick animals hidden from the RSPCA.
There is no educational value in seeing these once proud animals reduced to performing tricks in an unnatural environment. Circuses teach a lack of respect for animals.
CAPS is not opposed to circuses, only to the use of animals, and we encourage people to avoid animal circuses and instead visit one of the many excellent shows that rely entirely on human skills.
We also ask people to write to their MP, asking them to encourage the government to ban the use of animals in circuses.
Circuses YES, Animals NO.
Paul Thomas
The Captive Animals' Protection Society
PO Box 4186
Manchester
M60 3ZA
captiveanimals.org
Registered charity in England and Wales. Number 1124436
GRINCH
says...
4:16pm Tue 28 Jul 09
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.........I still say if you got the circus closed where would the animals go back to the jungle I don't think so
GRINCH
says...
4:22pm Tue 28 Jul 09
Thus arousing the anger of vandals thugs and other socially challanged persons,who commit criminal acts against circus.
M G
says...
4:30pm Tue 28 Jul 09
GRINCH
says...
4:57pm Tue 28 Jul 09
BillBill
says...
10:01pm Wed 29 Jul 09
GRINCH
says...
10:45pm Wed 29 Jul 09
BillBill wrote:get real and read the posts properly bill
Sometimes I am ashamed to read the views of people. How on earth can anyone think it right that animals should be constrained andrestricted in this manner. Of course, officially, they may not suffer any damage, but with humans we lock them up, restrain their liberty, give them artificial living conditions, limit their exercise, restrict them from contact with theirt normal family groups etc as a punishment. When we send them to prison. You lot make me sick. The animals may be cared for, andborn into captivity etc, but that does not mean their treatment is right.
the undertaker
says...
2:37pm Thu 30 Jul 09
These people that protest have too much time on their hands and need to live in the real world. Whre do you stop? Why are they not protesting outside Colchester Zoo?
They are just professional moaners who have no life of their own so want to ruin other peoples.
Red Tape
says...
2:40pm Thu 30 Jul 09
GRINCH says...
11:42am Mon 27 Jul 09