This is despite the fact that the only independent scientific study of Animal Welfare in Circus, carried out by Dr Marthe Kiley-Worthington and commissioned by the RSPCA and UFAW (Universities Federation for Animal Welfare) demonstrated that “circuses do not by their nature cause suffering and distress in animals”.
The fact is that while thousands of people are taken to court by the RSPCA every year, no British Circus has ever been convicted of animal cruelty.
The campaigns conveniently ignore both the facts and the
studies, and continue their harassment of animal circuses and their
public. Animal circuses are routinely
subjected to verbal abuse, death threats, vandalism and theft. The animals themselves are often subjected to
cruel stunts by activists seeking to disrupt the shows – activists letting off
fireworks near circus horses now happens so regularly as to be almost routine.
