Circus protesters boost big top audiences (From Gazette)
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Circus protesters boost big top audiences
3:00pm Wednesday 5th August 2009 in News
CIRCUS bosses say protests have backfired and boosted their audience numbers.
Protesters turned up at the Great British Circus, at Clacton Airfield, on Sunday, to object against its use of animals, including elephants, lions, tigers, llamas, reindeer and camels.
Jeff Link, a spokesman for the circus, said the row has helped to keep their big top full.
He even said he was “grateful” to the protesters.
Mr Link said: “We had a very good house as a result of all the publicity. It is fantastic.”
“We know our animals are well looked-after. If you ask these people on the picket line how many of them have seen what goes on, I would say not many.”
Jane Williams, who coordinated the protest, admitted she had not seen the show. She said: “I do not need to go.
“Travelling circuses by their very nature do not allow animals to have their natural environment.”
She said the protest had gone well and attracted about 50 people.
The protesters did not convince any customers not to go in on the night but she added: “Maybe they will reflect on that afterwards.”
Debbie Chisholm, spokesman for Essex Police, said the protest was peaceful and officers left the scene at 3.45pm.
Comments(9)
Poacher
says...
4:25pm Wed 5 Aug 09
GRINCH
says...
4:43pm Wed 5 Aug 09
hughie-s
says...
5:51pm Wed 5 Aug 09
Oh dear, Harriet Harperson will not like that title;)
Southern Badger
says...
12:38am Thu 6 Aug 09
Also, of the animals listed above - elephants, llamas, reindeer and camels have been domesticated for thousands of years so they're not by any stretch of the imagine "wild". And if the lions and tigers were born in captivity, and their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were born in captivity - they're not "wild" either.
The only issue is whether those particular animals are treated well, and for that you have to go and see for yourself, Jane.
paul_thomas
says...
2:31pm Fri 7 Aug 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
www.captiveanimals.o
rg
Registered charity in England and Wales. Number 1124436
GRINCH
says...
6:26pm Fri 7 Aug 09
corporate
says...
9:39pm Mon 10 Aug 09
Wat Tyler
says...
9:29am Tue 11 Aug 09
The tiger used in the act lives in a four foot by five foot cage. So no Southern Badger, it’s not like keeping domestic cats and dogs in a house. For a better analogy, it’s like keeping a Labrador in a mini for its entire life.
Say It As It Is OK? says...
3:36pm Wed 5 Aug 09
Eventually most people will come to see that a circus is not the place for "caged" wild animals.