You certainly did it, is right! When we sent out an appeal for your help, you responded, and we can bring you some great news as a result! Councillor Kevin Callan’s motion to ban wild animal-act circuses has been passed. Drogheda now joins Monaghan, Wicklow Town and Waterford with other councils lined up to introduce their motions in the near future. This new initiative is all part of ARAN’s ‘Stop Circus Suffering in Ireland' campaign which is a global initiative by our partners at Animal Defenders International (ADI). Our ultimate goal is to end the use of all animals in Irish circuses and to have a circus industry that relies soley on the use of acrobats and artistic performers. This is the future. 

Media coverage for the Drogheda motion on the night of the vote was covered by an indept radio interview on LMFM that also ran bulletins on the hour. The Drogheda Independent and Drogheda Leader also covered the campaign. Ocean FM also spoke with us about the campaign in general. The Irish Daily Mirror ran an almost full page explosive article on the elephants chained at The Courtney Brothers Circus whilst the circus was in Balbriggan. This media coverage is vital in reaching huge numbers of new people opening their eyes up to the truth about the suffering animals endure in circuses.

We'd like to also thank the animal friendly 'The Party Company' on the Kinsale Road in Cork for donating Nellie our 'Elephant' who stood outside the meeting of the councillors in Drogheda on the night on the motion.

We know each and every one of you want to see a future without animals in circuses, and yes we can certainly have that future, but in order to get there it requires lots of hard work behind the scenes. It is always important that when we issue an appeal for emails to go to cllrs, government etc, that you take a few moments to write and send your email – it is a matter of the cllrs ect knowing you care, or you don’t. Thankfully, by writing such an important email or letter of concern, they know you care and they are less likely to turn away from the cruelty and suffering many animals endure inside the circus. Personal emails work far better, which is why ARAN does not issue ‘form’ emails in our appeals.

If you'd like to get active in your area with ARAN's 'Stop Circus Suffering in Ireland' campaign. Please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we'll put you in contact with local campaigners that are speaking out for the animals.