ADI warns of risk of wild animals in circuses as tigers escape circus lorry

The latest escape of two tigers from a circus lorry this week highlights the ever present risk of wild animals in circuses, warns Animal Defenders International (ADI), as the Government delays its decision on UK circus animals’ fate. Each year circus animals escape and workers and members of the public are injured.

In this latest incident, two tigers escaped from a circus trailer near Lisbon in Portugal left unguarded when the lorry broke down and was towed away for repairs. Circus Chen had previously been investigated by ADI in 2005 who described the conditions the animals were forced to live in as deplorable. ADI also highlighted safety concerns including keeping a zoo area where the public were left unsupervised with animals.

Jan Creamer, chief executive of ADI, said: “Claims by circus owner Miguel Chen that this was sabotage seem ridiculous as they should have had personnel monitoring the animals to ensure such an escape could not happen. They are merely trying to avoid the blame for their own lack of responsibility.”

“The incident underlines the dangers of keeping wild animals in traveling circuses as we await a decision from the Government on circus animals in the UK. It is not just the welfare of the animals that is compromised by travelling week in week out, basic security and containment measures are inevitably limited. We hope that the Government takes note and sees this is yet another reason why they must live up to their commitment to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.”

Consistently, over the past decade 80% of the public have in polls supported an end to the use of animals in travelling circuses. With MPs, Lords and animal protection groups giving their support too, surely it is time for the Government to take decisive action to protect the public and ban the use of animals in travelling circuses.



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For further information, please contact:

Allison Tuffrey Jones, ADI Press Office,

Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP

Tel: 020 7630 9159?Mob: 07785 552548

Email: pr@ad-international.org

NOTES TO EDITORS

ADI
With offices in London and San Francisco, Animal Defenders International (ADI) campaigns to protect animals in entertainment and experiments; worldwide traffic in endangered species; vegetarianism; factory farming; pollution and conservation. ADI involves itself in international animal rescues as well as educational work on animals, conservation and environment. Our evidence of the torment to animals has led to campaigns and legislative action all over the world to protect them.

www.ad-international.org