Results From Scotland’s Consultation on Animals in Circuses Show 98 Per Cent in Favour of a Ban
A government consultation has revealed an overwhelming lack of public support for the archaic practice of forcing animals to perform in travelling circuses.
The voices of compassionate Scots have been heard loud and clear today, as 98 per cent of respondents to a government consultation said they support a ban on wild-animal circuses.
This is a great outcome. Last year, we asked our supporters north of the border to voice their opinion, and now, thanks to this clear-cut result, Scottish politicians will have to sit up and take notice.
It is no surprise that so many people are against locking up elephants, tigers, zebras and other animals and forcing them to perform absurd tricks in the name of “entertainment”. In the 21st century, it’s obscene for wild animals to be denied everything that is natural and important to them, confined to cages or boxcars and dragged around the country and forced to perform demeaning and often painful tricks for human amusement.
In their answers, respondents noted issues such as the fact that circuses deprive animals of the opportunity to engage in natural behaviour and the fact that forcing animals to perform is demeaning, compromises their dignity and lessens respect for them. Regardless of the specific conditions that circuses keep animals in, respondents recognised that it is “inherently disrespectful in today’s society to hold wild animals captive in an unnatural environment that could not cater for their complex needs”.
This enlightened attitude is truly heartening. Well done, and thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in the consultation!
It’s now time for the Scottish government to implement the will of the people and send circuses that use wild animals packing. Please send a quick message to Scotland’s Cabinet Minister for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment asking him to implement a ban without delay:
