Dublin councillor calls for circus boycott
Dublin North Inner City councillor, Claire O’Regan, has joined with CAPS in calling on people to boycott a controversial animal circus which is performing in the city.
Duffy’s Circus is the only one in Ireland to have tigers and a lion in addition to alligators, horses, llamas and other animals. It is one of five circuses in the country still using animals.
The Labour councillor supported CAPS in its opposition to animal use in circuses and proposed an emergency motion to ask the manager of Dublin City Council not to accept tenders from circuses that use wild animals in their acts and to refrain from supporting in any way circuses with wild animals, within the jurisdiction of the City Council.
CAPS added:
“Animal circuses are an outdated form of entertainment and there’s no fun in transporting animals around Ireland for most of the year, caging and confining them and making them perform in the circus ring.
“Last year, Bristol University scientists concluded that circuses fail to provide some of the most basic welfare needs of wild animals, such as space and social groups and that there was no evidence to suggest that the needs of wild animals can be met in circuses.
“We encourage the public to avoid circuses using animals. We encourage the move to all-human performances to provide great entertainment without the cruelty.”
The use of animals in circuses has been on the decline since a major investigation by CAPS in 2006 which found elephants, a rhino, hippo and giraffe had been imported to Ireland to use in circuses.
CAPS calls on the Irish government to introduce a ban on animal use in circuses.
What can you do
- Boycott circuses with performing animals
- Become a CAPS supporter - you can help to make a difference
- Write to your MLA, asking her/him to call on the Minister to ban animal use in circuses. Contact details can be found here.
- Write to your local newspaper highlighting what is wrong with circuses - click here.
- Send a donation to help our campaigns - your contribution is vital
You can help by getting involved in our campaigns or contact us info@captiveanimals.org to join our e-mail list.