Ottawa Humane Society calls for public to boycott this week’s circus
Ottawa Humane Society
Monday, June 04, 2007
OTTAWA, Ont. (4 June, 2007) – A trip to the circus might seem like an entertaining experience for the audience, but the Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) reminds visitors to this week’s event that the view from the other side of the bleachers isn’t as rosy.The biggest issue for an audience to consider is that circus animals are not allowed to behave as they would in the wild, says OHS Executive Director Bruce Roney.
“An elephant needs to express itself naturally,” says Roney. “It’s good for their physical and mental well-being. People have to remember that elephants don’t normally travel by train or live in small pens. A circus is hardly a natural environment for these animals.”
It’s also important to remember that elephants are extremely social beings and live in large groups, forming highly-developed relationships with other elephants. In a circus, that social group is replaced with a mixture of other animals and human performers — an inadequate substitute, according to Roney.
While it’s unlikely that audiences will witness obvious abuse at this week’s circus, Roney urges attendees to give some thought to how these animals live when they’re not on stage. “When you watch these animals perform, remember that they likely spend 95% of their lives in a cramped space, and they’re on the road the majority of the time,” he says.
While the City of Ottawa recently revised its bylaws to make it more difficult for travelling wild animal acts to perform here, Roney says it’s not good enough. “The City should not be involved in licensing animal cruelty,” he says. “We need these wild animal acts to be banned.”
For those interested in attending a cruelty-free circus performance, the OHS encourages families to support performances that do not include animals as part of the entertainment.
The OHS also reminds the public that there is a misunderstood safety risk associated with circuses. “These are wild animals and they remain wild animals despite their ability to perform,” Roney says. “We can’t forget that there are cases of animals who rampage, injure and even kill spectators and handlers.”
Roney cites a case in Timmins, Ontario in 1999, where an elephant killed an employee between circus performances.
“History is bound to repeat itself,” says Roney. “And given the well documented cases of circus animals being abused, the time for wild animal acts in these kind of shows is over.”
For more information:
Tara Jackson, Communications Manager
(613) 725-3166 ext. 261
The Ottawa Humane Society is a registered charity founded in 1888. The Society works in and with the community to provide leadership in the humane treatment of all animals, to address the causes of animal suffering, to encourage people to take responsibility for their animal companions, and to provide care for animals who are neglected, abused, exploited, stray, or homeless. Print this page
