Why circus animals should not be banned

Ukraine: The Ukrainian government is preparing for a ban. Wales: General ban on the use of wild animals. Bolivia: General ban of wild animals and domesticated species. Costa Rica: General ban of wild animals. Ecuador: Nationwide ban on the use of native wild animals; restrictions on the use of exotic animals; ban on the import of both native and exotic wild animals with circuses.

El Salvador: General ban of wild animals. Guatemala: General ban of all animals. Honduras: General ban of all animals. India: General ban of wild animals. Iran: General ban of wild animals. Israel: General ban of wild animals. Columbia: General ban of wild animals. Lebanon: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses. Mexico: General ban of wild animals. Panama: Nationwide ban prohibiting 'entry of wild animals for use in static and travelling circuses and similar shows'.

In Wales, there's currently no licensing requirement. However, the Welsh Government is in the process of putting a ban in place , which is expected before the end of This means it's now an offence to use wild animals in travelling circuses - through performance or exhibition. Wild circus animals are usually captive bred but this does not mean that they are tame.

It takes thousands of years for animals to become domesticated and the wild animals used to perform in circuses have the same needs as they would in the wild. These needs simply cannot be met in a travelling circus environment.

They spend their lives being carted from town to town, state to state, for 11 months out of the year. Often, the boxcars wild animals travel in have no climate control, meaning the animals endure extreme weather conditions. They also are forced to eat, sleep, and defecate in the same space. The transport cars are often in poor shape and circuses have been repeatedly cited by the USDA for trailers with splintering wood and sharp, protruding metal pieces that could hurt the animals.

Due to long hours standing on hard surfaces and lack of appropriate exercises, the leading causes of death among captive elephants are foot infections and arthritis. Elephants in captivity can carry the human strain of Tuberculosis TB. Those in circuses are particularly at risk due to consistent exposure with infected humans or other elephants. Some elephants who did not exhibit symptoms were confirmed positive during necropsies, possibly infecting other elephants with the disease.

In , a tiger named Apollo escaped a Cole Bros. Circus and ran through the busy New York City borough of Queens. Apollo ran through a crowded park during a busy Saturday and then caused multiple accidents on the Jackie Robinson Parkway, resulting in several severe injuries of drivers. Just nine years earlier, elephants escaped from the same circus in Queens, causing a panicked stampeded that injured a dozen people. In , California banned the use of all animals, with the exception of dogs, cats, and domesticated horses, in circuses only.

Further, New York and Illinois have prohibited the use of elephants in traveling acts while Rhode Island banned the use of bullhooks—fire poker-like devices used to jab elephants in the most sensitive parts of their bodies. Your city could be next. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is here to help you enact a ban in your city or county! Review these resources to get started. Fill out the contact form on this page for further assistance.