A disgruntled employee.
Photograph: Rupak de Chowdhuri/Reuters
Most people are revolted by the seedy spectacle of performing wild animals. Last year Mori found that 80% of people thought the use of wild animals in circuses was unacceptable. And yet they still draw in the punters. Seven tigers, five lions, eight camels and a 52-year-old elephant called Anne are among the wild animals still performing in Britain's big tops, according to a report by the Born Free Foundation and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is calling for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses as part of the government's animal welfare bill. Circus proprietors are against this. Their trade body told a committee of MPs that restrictions on the use of peforming animals would amount to censorship.
The use of performing animals is on the wane in the UK. In 1997 some 17 circuses were touring the country with wild animals. Last year there were only three. The decline comes after public revulsion following a case in 1999 when animal circus trainer Mary Chipperfield was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a baby chimpanzee. The circuses that still use wild animals face increasing criticism on the issue. A campaign has been formed to free Ming, a performing black bear, and other "exotic animals" belonging to Jolly's circus. The Great British Circus boasts the country's biggest collection of performing animals in the UK. But it can only muster two messages of support for the practice on its website.
The Sunday Mirror has launched a campaign to free Anne, the arthritic Asian elephant used by the Bobby Roberts Super Circus, which insists that it is not in her "best interests" to retire. As the negative publicity is likely to continue there must soon come a time when Bobby Roberts will at least realise that it is in the interest of his business to give Anne a rest from touring the country for entertainment.
