today i visited amitland showgrounds to see if i could see the animals. i was surprised i could walk straight in, no security, and what i saw shocked and saddened me. now after a few bottles of champagne i might sound a bit over the top, forgive me, but it was truly bad. to complain about zoo elephants living in multi million dollar enclosures which make up for, what they lack in size, in everything else, is a waste of breath. im posting photos soon, but these two poor animals were living in a tiny block with no shade bar a squallied tarp attached to a squallid trailler with manure strewn everywhere. the poor elephants skin was so different to the taronga elephants, probably owing to the fact that thay have no access to deep water. their nails are a good 7-8cm jutting out from their feet, they have no hair on their tales. both animals swayed. i am sickened that either animals could be kept in such conditions. the lions too, were in appalling situation. when did we resort to keeping magnifcent animals in such conditions? or the poor monkeys in discgusting trailers!!!! with no vegetation, natural light or branches. today, my first visit to a circus, drew a clear and very stark distinction between the philosophies of zooos and circus. to say that zoos are commercially exploiting wildlife is crap, for that, go no further than a circus. i am appalled. excuse me, im drunk but i think my spelling is still ok. ZOOBOY TKE NOTE
I understand your feelings. I hate to see animals in circuses too. Here in Europe the circuses are continously "attacked" by animals rights activists. In my country (The Netherlands) almost every week I can read about a (peacefull) demonstration at a circus. And the last thing I read were the complains of an animal trainer of the Moscow State Circus. He don't like his job anymore. Lucky for his 4 tigers I would say. Let him stop today! Some European countries already made rules against animal cruelty in circuses. A ban for performing with wild animals or it is forbidden to drive with wild animals etc. Belgium has a rule which said the a circus must give his animals a minimum of space, which is so large that no circus can make such an enclosure! It is just a matter of time when the last animal will leave the circus... Here are some photos of Anne of Stardust: Stardust Circus - Bassendean, Western Australia November 2002 Look also on page 7
In those photos she looks a little too hunched. I could be wrong but wouldn't be surprised if she had arthritis or some back problems. If there was a way to convince the circus to give away or even sell the girls there would be no problem finding her a home here.
Circus animals I am also in the "anti animals in circus" camp I agree 100% with the comments on the first message on this thread -- the elephants in good zoos get far better treatment and care than circus elephants
yep. seen it before...........always hated them. i just think its disgusting no government will force them to stop using exotic animals or shut down.
its not just the idea of the circus that bugs me. its te people that are employed by them. how many carnies are veterinary specialists? its just generation after generation of dead **** trailer trash tending some very valuable and incredibly unforunate animals.... the ammount of manure that was in the shed and 'shade' area was amazing, i know elephants **** alot but not that much. no deep water, no access to browse. ill continue in a sec
It is ********. The RSPCA and animal libbers tend to piss me off a bit with this. they are too hesitant to get behind anyone that wants to help them... ALL TALK... fair enough the animal libbers took them to court but they had no plans. they were trying to force them to lose the elephant and then what... they didn't even secure her a place in case they were succesful. If you can't get support from these people how is anyone supposed to help them.
what ever happened to that planned "elephant sanctuary" in victoria. i know they never secured the ashton's elephants and two have since died, but was that all? was it all a lot of publicity with very little plans? didn't they have hancock's as an advisor.
I believe they did have hancocks as an advisor. The website shutdown about three or four years ago now. I don't think they had the money. they were trying to get it through corporate sponsorship rather than small fundraisers and the like and big businesses usually allocate all of their money at the start of the year so if you want their support you have to write to them well in advance or at the evry least have something high profile like a football team or v8 race or something to even be considered. Unless of course you are a well established zoo like Taronga. They were planning to have one keeper only on that property and it didn't seem well thought out. Plus they were hoping that ashtons were the only ones they'd have to buy and that zoo's and circuses would give them the animals at some point
went back to the circus today. the only plus side was i got 4 bags of elephant **** for the garden for free. ok.... lion cubs, partioned off from adults. no shade. what looked like a japanese macaue pacing a figure of 8 hopelessly within its caravan for the ten minutes i observed it for ive got more problems with the elephants. does anyone have any idea what their diet is? is it just an unvaried staple of hay and water? no enrichment, no evidence whatsoever. and after reading up on an animal libbers website, i have another point. their 'tarp' faces south, copping all the wind. there is no way these animals can get 360 degree protection from the elements. poor, poor things
NO Circuses in the UK have performing animals anymore... BUT, when the Safari Parks first opened in the UK back in the 1960's, it was as if the circus animals had just stopped travelling and performing in the ring.... Most Safari Parks were run by Circus people like the Chipperfield Organisation, and standards, both of husbandry and housing in the offshow areas which the visitors didn't see, were actually very low. Even now, the night quarters for animals like Lions and hoofed animals, even rhinos and elephants, can still be very primitive indeed, just 'lockups' where the animals have to spend many hours confined from evening closing time through to opening time the next day, due to local council safety byelaws. Visitors only see the animals roaming free in their 'reserves' when actually that 'freedom' is only enjoyed for perhaps a third of each 24 hour day, and possibly only in the summer months for some species... Conditions have improved somewhat but the circus ethic is still evident at some Safari Parks even today- though I don't know who runs the main ones in Britain nowadays...
I believe they get hay and bread, maybe the occasional fruit and veg if a local grocer is willing to give it up
just wathced rspca animal resuce and apparently next weeks show involves a trip to lennin brothers (sorry i cant spell!) circus. there was a short audio grab of a worker saying that people dont understand and they straight away call the rscpa....... will be interesting to hear waht the circus has to say foritself
The problem with taking action on animal cruelty is that the Government is not inclined to legislate to ban it. Circus animals that are abused or mistreated can be reported to the RSPCA but whether they can take action or not is based on what legislation is in place. Animal Lib do what they can to highlight the problems, but it is an ongoing battle to get any Government to take notice, and can cause you to reach burnout after years of getting the runaround from them.
The problem with animal cruelty in circuses is that it is difficult to get hard and fast evidence, and it all comes down to different opinions. Animal Liberation tells us that life for circus animals is unending hell. Circus management tell us that their animal friends are trained with kindness and rewards. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. I still don't like circuses!
Thanks for your reply, Ara. I too do not like circuses that use animals for entertainment. I much prefer a circus that uses people, such as Cirque de Soliel, which proves that there is no need for animals to be used to creat wonderful entertainment.
Leave Stardust & Lennon Brothers alone. They simply would not be allowed to keep they animals if they didnt know how to look after them and they are always hasseled by rude public members such as yourselves who just think they can criticise their circus. Please stop with this nonsense and appreciate the true value of circus.
