On
Friday, a “guilty” verdict was delivered in the trial of circus owner,
Bobby Roberts, over the cruel treatment of Anne the elephant, exposed
last year by ADI. Whilst the verdict itself was welcomed, the sentence
of a conditional discharge, no fine and no ban on keeping animals sends a
clear message that the infliction of serious violence on an animal in a
circus will simply lead to a slap on the wrist. Hardly a deterrent for
those minded to engage in these awful practices.Of course, deliberate acts of cruelty and the day-to-day provision of welfare are two different things. Anne did not have to be beaten with a pitch fork in order to suffer in the circus.
It was suffering enough that she was taken from the wild as a youngster.
It was suffering enough that she was held captive (sometimes quite literally in shackles) for her lifetime in this unnatural environment.
It was suffering enough that she had no company of her own kind for so very long.
It was suffering enough that she was hauled up and down the country for months on end each year.
It was suffering enough that she was forced to perform degrading tricks for paying customers.
The sadistic pitch fork beatings served to add insult to injury in what was already an impoverished and miserable existence. Anne’s welfare needs could never be met in a circus. Nor can those of the other animals that are still there.
On the 20th January 2013, the Government’s new licensing regime for wild animals in circuses will come into force and will serve to legitimise the continued use of wild animals in circuses in England. The strongly opposed regulations are to be introduced under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. That’s the same legislation under which Roberts was tried and convicted, then walked away without receiving any meaningful punishment.
During the recent debate in the House of Lords, which saw vehement opposition to the licensing proposals, the Minister responsible for the regulations said:
“… we are confident that these regulations, combined with the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, will provide significant protection for wild animals in travelling circuses.”
If she could speak, I imagine that Anne may well beg to differ with this view.
We have maintained from the beginning that licensing the use of wild animals in circuses will not work and Friday’s verdict only goes to reinforce that view. Significant protection for animals currently being held in circuses will never be delivered by licensing, but by protecting them from use in the circus altogether.
For all of those animals still being exploited in circus rings here and in other countries, justice has not been done. Only a ban will do.
