Virendra Sharma MP

Virendra Sharma MP continues battle to save wild animals from circuses

Mr Virendra Sharma, Labour MP for Ealing, Southall, today made a stand outside his constituency office for wild animals currently languishing in UK circuses by backing the campaign of London based Animal Defenders International (ADI), who is seeking an outright ban on their use in circuses.

Mr Sharma met with ADI representatives and pledged to continue to put pressure on the Government to make the ban a reality. ADI congratulated him for continuing to speak out on behalf of wild animals in circuses, and will continue to work with him on this important animal welfare issue.

Virendra said: “I am fully behind ADI’s campaign to ban wild animals in circuses, and applaud the hard work they have done to make progress on this issue over the years.

“I believe the Government should undertake a total ban rather than a licensing scheme so that we can end once and for all the mistreatment of animals in circuses. It appalls me to see wild animals being used in circuses. It is no place for them and ideally they belong in the wild, as nature intended.”   

Jan Creamer, ADI’s Chief Executive said: “We are extremely grateful to Mr Sharma  for his support, and for speaking out on behalf of the animals who suffer day in and day out in travelling circuses.

“Our undercover exposes of the circus industry in the UK and around the world have shown that confinement, deprivation and abuse are endemic to the circus industry. For instance, the abuse endured by Anne the elephant at the winter quarters of the Bobby Roberts Super Circus earlier this year brought the circus industry to its knees and demonstrated perfectly why an outright ban is long overdue.    

“The country and MPs have made it abundantly clear that they demand a ban as the current system is failing to protect animals, and it is crystal clear that a ban on wild animals in circuses is the only route now available for Government to pursue.”

Despite a parliamentary debate in June where politicians voted unanimously for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses, the government has since stated that despite this overwhelming show of support for a ban, it plans to proceed with a licensing system instead. 

The Defra Minister Caroline Spelman has claimed that banning wild animals in circuses would be illegal under EU law and may also be in breach of the Human Rights Act.  However, ADI has published expert legal opinion from independent parties that categorically states that there are no legal obstacles to proceed with a ban. 

Earlier this year, ADI released the results of its independent online poll carried out by YouGov, which asked impartial participants aged over 18 to what extent they would support or oppose a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.  A massive 72% of the public backed a ban with only 8% against – almost 3 out 4 members of the public therefore wanted a ban. 

In 2010, a public consultation by Defra (Department of Enviroment, Food and Rural Affairs) resulted in a huge 94.5% public support for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.

National measures to prohibit or limit the use of animals in circuses have already been adopted in Bolivia, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Luxembourg, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Singapore, Costa Rica, India. Mexico and Israel and similar laws are being discussed in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Greece.

All of these countries have looked at the evidence and listened to the will of the people and done the right thing by implementing bans. It is high time that the UK government did the same.