
Animal use in circuses involves torturing animals to force them to perform unnatural ‘acts’ for so-called entertainment. These often wild, exotic animals, are bred and kept in captivity, carted around the country and globe, in small cages for weeks on end, denying them of their natural behaviours. The use of trained animals for entertainment in circuses, dates back to Ancient Rome.
Even wild animals bred in captivity have natural instincts around socialising, roaming, feeding and mating. In a circus animals are unable to meet any of their natural needs. Like zoos, circuses often claim to perform conservation and educational roles. However, the only thing people learn about viewing animals in circuses is that it’s okay to use them for entertainment.
- whips
- beating
- electric prods
- choke ropes
- deprivation of food and water
‘Entertainment’ can never be an excuse for deprivation, torture and unnatural acts. Animal circuses are banned in countries such as Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Cyprus and Mexico. They have also been banned in the ACT for over 21 years, and several councils across Australia have banned them locally. Animal Liberation is calling for a state-wide ban on animal circuses in NSW, and for local councils to review their circus policy.
There are many successful circuses that operate without animals, such as Cirque du Soleil, the Flying Fruit Bat Circus and Circus Oz.