Scottish ban on wild animals in circuses. Thomas Chipperfield Responds

Thomas Chipperfield on the cover of The Telegraph Magazine.

As many know from our recent blog, the Scottish government is planning to introduce a bill to ban performing animals in travelling circuses.  Below we reproduce a letter from Thomas Chipperfield who is the UK's only current big cat trainer working in a travelling circus. This is a copy of a letter he has sent to the Scottish; Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee.  We are grateful to Thomas Chipperfield for allowing us to reproduce it here.

Scottish ban on wild animals in circuses. Is it really ethical?

As many know from our recent blog, the Scottish government is planning to introduce a bill to ban performing animals in travelling circuses.  In a similar vein to the British government, the Scottish governments say they wish to ban this activity based on ethical grounds.  The British government made the point they could not ban animals in circuses on welfare grounds because it was not supported by the available science.  But what exactly do they mean by ethics?  In addition, what is the opinion of a qualified academic regarding this matter?

Below we reproduce a letter from Professor Ron Beadle who is Professor of Organisation and Business Ethics at Northumbria University. This is a copy of a letter he has sent to the Scottish environment change in land reform committee.  We are grateful to Professor Ron Beadle allowing us to reproduce it here.