As The Great British Circus sets off on tour, likewise animal rights groups commence demonstrations against the continued, and cruel, use of animals in circus shows.
Newark, Saturday 9th February 2008
Animal rights advocates assembled at the Newark Showground for a peaceful demonstration against 'The Great British Circus', which is touring once again. Those gathered were assembled to share the reality behind circus animals with circus-goers and the general public alike.
The training methods involved in producing circus 'spectacles' remain cruel and unusual; the use of concealed spikes, screws attached to walking sticks, hotshots and electric shocks have all been documented as regularly used means of training the animals. Not to mention, beyond the short intervals for performances, animals are generally kept in poor and wholly unsuitable conditions. Even large animals such as lions and tigers are typically kept in small cages both whilst on the road and prior to the show.
Commonly those involved in such circuses cite the value of conservation, and the protection offered to otherwise endangered species. The reality is that more often than not, the animals forced to perform have been taken forcefully from the wild.
The public were generally very supportive of the demonstration, with many affirming that after witnessing the show first hand they would not be visiting a circus that uses animals in the future. Likewise, police presence was minimal and even the local press were in attendance.
Indeed, a Mori poll in 2005 found a staggering 80% of the population were against wild animals performing in circuses. Similarly the government seem to hold some very real concerns, with many political and legal commentators expecting to see a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses later this year - although notably, such a ban would still leave the plight of domesticated animals unaltered.
For further information please visit
http://www.captiveanimals.org/circuses/index.htm
Animal rights advocates assembled at the Newark Showground for a peaceful demonstration against 'The Great British Circus', which is touring once again. Those gathered were assembled to share the reality behind circus animals with circus-goers and the general public alike.
The training methods involved in producing circus 'spectacles' remain cruel and unusual; the use of concealed spikes, screws attached to walking sticks, hotshots and electric shocks have all been documented as regularly used means of training the animals. Not to mention, beyond the short intervals for performances, animals are generally kept in poor and wholly unsuitable conditions. Even large animals such as lions and tigers are typically kept in small cages both whilst on the road and prior to the show.
Commonly those involved in such circuses cite the value of conservation, and the protection offered to otherwise endangered species. The reality is that more often than not, the animals forced to perform have been taken forcefully from the wild.
The public were generally very supportive of the demonstration, with many affirming that after witnessing the show first hand they would not be visiting a circus that uses animals in the future. Likewise, police presence was minimal and even the local press were in attendance.
Indeed, a Mori poll in 2005 found a staggering 80% of the population were against wild animals performing in circuses. Similarly the government seem to hold some very real concerns, with many political and legal commentators expecting to see a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses later this year - although notably, such a ban would still leave the plight of domesticated animals unaltered.
For further information please visit
http://www.captiveanimals.org/circuses/index.htm 
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Comments
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Nice report + photo resizing
11.02.2008 18:51
John - with an admin login
You know it's going wrong when
12.02.2008 01:31
Silly billies
Oh *NOOOOOOES!!!!!!!!!!1111111* Scary gypsy curses wooo!
12.02.2008 03:35
"DO NOT REMOVE - Sickness and poverty will strike anyone who does not heed this warning. Gypsy Rose Boswell"
Better hope you put that poster up right the first time, eh?
"Nope, it's not straight, I'll have to take it down and just give it a quick... ARGHHH shit, my legs have fallen off and my house has burned down!"
You know you're winning when they get gypsies to threaten you with curses, via the well-known psychic medium of crap posters stuck to bits of cardboard! Supernatural intimidation tactics? Wooooo-oooo! Fucking awesome, bring it on! (I'll have my tin-foil hat ready and waiting!)
So tigers eh... generally inhabit a fairly large outdoor expanse. Am I to assume that the "Great" British Circus have a portable Serengeti on tour with them - perhaps on the back of a very, very large trailer - to provide the animals with a large expanse of wilderness to roam about in?
Or could it be that the "Great" British Circus are full of shit, and just luuuuurve exploiting animals for profit?
Because I've got ten bits of lucky heather that say that far from being David Attenborough types, they're actually just a bunch of sadistic bastards with pretend gypsy mates and considerably lacking typography design skills.
(FIVE, yes FIVE different fonts on ONE poster? Get to fuck!?!?! That could be a new world record...)
Captain Untameable
Have You Checked Any 'Facts'
31.05.2008 17:29
I have no doubt that the cruel methods and conditions you cite are still in existence in some circuses somewhere in the world. But I want to see your evidence that they exist for the "Great British Circus".
Don't give me a load of generalisations.
If I said that some protest groups killed and maimed innocent people, it wouldn't be untrue. But it would be wrong of me to extrapolate that you kill and maim.
I will probably get flamed for this. But I bet not one of the flamers is able to present any hard evidence about the Great British Circus, other than slurs against their typography (unbelievably!!!), or their language in a recent interview, neither of which prove any of the implied points.
In short, show us your evidence, not your opinions!
OpenMindedUnlikeYou
Captain Untameable - the animal expert!
10.06.2008 20:42
Tigers? Your ignorance renders your protest laughable and is typical of the uninformed, unevidenced nonsense that is propagated on this subject.
If you actually have any evidence rather than ill-informed, unsubstantiated, emotional knee-jerk reactions, then the Animal Welfare Act 2006 allows any individual or group to take a prosecution under the Act. Go on, do it.
If you intend to pursue the banning of animals in circuses, I assume you will also bring the same vigour to bear on the keeping of legions of dogs, cats and other animals whose 'natural' home is not the UK, with all the attendant 'unnatural' behaviour demanded of them by their owners! Yes, they are bred in the UK, but so are the Great British Circus' tigers and lions.
OpenMindedUnlikeYou