Discovery News: Born Animal: Bolivia Bans Use of Animals in Circuses Bolivia has become the first nation on the planet to completely ban ALL animals from performing in circuses. Not just wild animals, which are banned in many other countries, but even domestic creatures as well. It's amazing to see how many nations around the world have some sort of ban in effect, and the number of countries with laws against wild animals in circuses has quadrupled in the past 15 years.
A South American country as a forerunner for animal welfare?! What a nice surprise! Never in my wildest dreams would I have suspected that. Nevertheless: GO, BOLIVIA, GO!!!
Lol, what if they don't? What if this includes teaching your pets tricks too! lol, anyway all animals should be banned from circues, they're cruel and just stupid.
I just think it's incredibly hypocritical of them to throw their teddies out of the pram over a circus and still allow animals to be transported for horse racing, agri shows, horse shows etc, especially since they've also banned them from circusses.
As an animal trainer and former circus owner I would naturally have preferred to see the Bolivian government introduce legally enforceable Standards to guarantee the welfare of all animals -circus, zoo, sport, law enforcement etc. However, despite an involvement with the international circus world stretching back for over 40 years, I have never seen animals kept in such disgusting conditions as they were routinely kept in Bolivian circuses. And many of their zoos aren't much better. If their Government couldn't fix the appalling state of affairs that has existed up to date, then I support the ban. I am keenly awaiting the Bolivian government's action now on their zoos, racing industry and pet trade.
So into whose experienced, serious and well-equipped hands are the then "liberated" animals given? I have problems remembering any Bolivian animal-keeping institutions with standards comparable to, say, Swedish counterparts... @Mr Saxon: Ah, circus animals are "cruel and just stupid". What a factual and highly qualified remark...
With regards to your horse comments, are you talking about just Bolivia or all countries that have horse racing, ag shows, horse shows etc?
Yeah all of them, some people fail to see the difference. I know someone who races his horses, fox hunts and yet he says circuses are sick. Go figure. And Steve Robinson, where were you when I was the only one defending circuses on the circus thread lol.
Sorry ashley-h ...... you were doing fine without my back up! lol I had already made my thoughts known on the subject on a previous thread. And I really can't find the enthusiasm to defend a noble calling against some of the puerile, mindless pap that is used against it. I can enjoy a reasoned discussion with thinking people but don't have the time or the inclination to play the name calling game with people who's minds are tightly closed against the reality of the subject.
Ha thanks, thought I did ok myself Yeah I agree, if the same things were said in the same way about a zoo this site would be up in arms. Edit: You did agree with me on another thread, just found it. Shame you missed the huge debate thread on it.
Bolivia has one of the highest levels of corruption in the world. I have been there several times for work and for someone from Europe the level is both mind-boggling and saddening. Their current president has supported several moves that have diminished the quality of the already threatened national parks including putting a person with very close ties to groups that want to allow farming and mining within national parks to actually run one of the large national parks. I hope new rules will help animal welfare and conservation in Bolivia but based on history Im very pessimistic. You can have the best rules in the world but if corruption runs through all levels it doesn't help.
