ARAN & ADI Commend Newry and Mourne District Council for Injunction Request Against Circus
In a letter sent to Newry and Mourne District Council today, ARAN & ADI offered the support of both organizations for a possible court injunction against a proposed visit by animal act circus. The letter is as follows.
12 August 2009
Councillor John Feehan
Newry and Mourne District Council
48 Acorn Hill
Derramore
Bessbrook
BT35 7BY
Dear Councillor Feehan,
We are writing to commend Newry and Mourne District Council’s request for an injunction against Alexander Scholl’s “Super Circus Sydney” and the succeeding decision of the High Court in Belfast to halt the erection of the circus in Warrenport.
Animal Defenders International (ADI) is a global animal protection organisation that has been campaigning in the UK for over a decade, on the use of animals in travelling circuses. Our activities include education, investigation, lobbying, and public awareness of the suffering of animals in circuses, and securing increased legal protection for animals. Animal Rights action Network (ARAN) is Ireland’s national animal rights group campaigning against all forms of animal cruelty including the use of animals in travelling circuses and supporting European and international campaigns to end cruelty to animals.
ADI and ARAN fully support Newry and Mourne District Council’s injunction request, based on the lack of compliance of the licence application process that denies the opportunity for a proper consultation on the event, including concerns of public safety.
During the course of our investigation into the use of animals in circuses in the UK, we filmed and photographed and the problems of travelling animal circuses including the treatment of animals. Our findings reveal that animal welfare is inevitably compromised by the travelling and temporary nature of the circus with severe confinement inevitable and physical abuse commonplace. Also, the nature of the travelling circus brings potentially dangerous animals in close proximity to people, moving through public areas. Each year around the world, circus animals kill or injure circus workers or members of the public. Such findings can be found in our DVD Stop Circus Suffering and in the report Animals in travelling Circuses: Science on Suffering which presents scientific evidence confirming the high level of suffering animals endure in circuses worldwide. that we attach to this letter.
Many of the local authorities have had similar problems with circuses and they have taken a further step banning the use of animals in circuses in council owned land. These bans have been legitimately instituted under the 1972 Local Government Act, using provisions for responding to local public opinion, or concerns about traffic, local nuisance, or health and safety. For example, Worcester City Council cited nuisances such as: prevention of building access, causing disruption; advance party of caravans pitched without permission; illegal fly posting; arrival of the circus prior to the booked period of time and without previous request or notification; problems with contacting someone ‘in authority’; site left in very untidy state, requiring park staff to spend considerable time carrying out reinstatement works at a cost which had to be deducted from the deposit paid by the circus etc; Nottingham City Council formed a policy in response to two separate public opinion polls; Grimsby also used opinion polls to support a ban, amongst others.
It is noteworthy that on November 2006 during the passage of the Animal Welfare Act in the House of Lords, Minister Lord Rooker declared “…The Government have made it clear that we are committed to banning certain non-domesticated species currently used in circuses, with a regulation coming into force in 2008. That commitment is crystal clear.” Nonetheless, up to date that commitment has not been materialized and local councils must take action.
We would like to offer you our support with the temporary injunction granted by the High Court of Belfast against Alexander Scholl’s “Super Circus Sydney” and we also urge you to table a proposal in the Council to ban animal circuses in Newry and Mourne District Council.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Lisa Mitchinson
Deputy Campaigns Director
Animal Defenders International
Stephan Wymore
Research Coordinator
Animal Rights action Network