ARAN CALLS ON CORK CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BAN ANIMAL ACT CIRCUSES ON CORK CITY COUNCIL LAND
Animal Rights Group Urges Councilors to Prohibit Circus Suffering on Council Land

Cork -- Ireland's largest animal rights group Animal Rights Action Network has called on Cork city council members to vote for a total ban on animal act circuses using Cork city council land and premises on Monday night March 31st.

In a similar move that made national headlines, Fingal council members voted overwhelmingly to ban animal act circuses which are shortly coming into force that will mean no circuses using animals will be allowed to use or rent their land. What is wrong with circuses that use animals? During an undercover investigation conducted by Animal Rights Action Network and Animal Defenders International which uncovered suffering of animals inside several Irish circuses, the findings where somewhat disturbing, including but not limited to:-

• a camel slapped in the face and then hit in the face with a
  broom and finally jabbed with a broom handle
• an elephant kicked in the leg and then punched in the face
• a hippo whipped to hurry it along when it was already
• walking in the desired direction
• a keeper whipping an elephant in order to get her to move
• a baby camel being roughly handled to force him to move
• a pregnant camel performing just days before giving birth

Cork city councilors have the power to end exploitation of animals inside the Irish circus industry, as a nation we need to move forward and consign cruel and exploitive circuses that use animals to the history books and instead revamp this outdated industry with new high powered acrobats and willing volunteers where no one gets hurt or abused, Said Stephan Wymore, Researcher for Animal Rights Action Network.

In order to force wild animals to perform stressful and often painful acts, trainers use metal bullhooks, whips, muzzles and electric prods. These horribly cruel training methods are commonly used in Irish circuses all over the country. Animals in circuses have being taken from the wild at some stage in their life for a lifetime of boredom, misery, cheap tricks and cruelty. Animals in circuses really are not volunteers; they are slaves, confined to their beast wagons for some 23 hours a day with no room to exercise compared to that of their homes in the wild. Animals in circuses regardless of them being born in the circus, still have the instincts of their fellow companions in the wild, they like to roam for miles, go foraging for food and vegetation and raise their young.

Please click here to see the joint ARAN/ADI report.