Animal Circus - Animal Cruelty

A number of animal rights organizations have joined forces through a Circus Animal Rights Coalition, to express their deep disappointment and concern that JS Productions intends to bring over 'Circo Fantasy' in Malta to perform during the coming festive season. The coalition is highly dismayed by the fact that notwithstanding the public's opposition to the exploitation of animals in circuses, this same company persists year over year to make profit from this form of animal cruelty.

The Circus Animal Rights Coalition would like to raise awareness of the fact that behind the glitz of the circus lies a cruel world of untold animal suffering. Animals used in circuses are unwilling participants in a show that jeopardizes their health and psychological well-being. Circuses force animals often through painful and punitive methods to perform tricks that are contradictory to their innate instincts and behavior, which factor results in substantial injuries during performance and training. Furthermore, animals in circuses have to sustain long distance traveling to arrive to the performance destination, during which they are often kept in unsuitable and precarious conditions. The climate of the locality area may furthermore be unsuitable for their natural temperament in such a way that they sustain undue suffering. These factors continue to exacerbate the already stressful conditions caused by confinement and transportation.

Even if conditions were improved and humane methods of training were used, the fact is that keeping wild animals in captivity deprives animals of much of what they value in life. The animals have to live in an environment drastically different from their natural habitat, and their spirits are broken from harsh training and from not being able to fulfill some of their most basic needs and instincts.

In view of the above mentioned reasons, we are asking the relevant authorities to refrain from allowing this circus from performing in Malta, particularly in view of the fact that in 2006 'Circo Fantasy' has been found guilty by the Italian authorities of not conforming with minimum animal welfare regulations.

The Circus Animal Rights Coalition includes Moviment Graffitti, Animal Rights Group, Ananda Marga, Association for Abandoned Animals, Island Sanctuary, Cetfree, Greenhouse, Alternattiva Demokratika Zaghzagh, SOS Animals, St. Francis D’Assisi Foundation, Nature Trust, SPCA (Malta), Centru Tbexbix, Stray Animal Support Group, Street Cat Rescue, Share Malta, Noah’s Arc, National Cat Society and International Animal Rescue

Times of Malta: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090904/local/no-to-animal-circuses

Maltastar: http://www.maltastar.com/pages/ms09dart.asp?a=4005

DI-VE: http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=63729&newscategory=31