Welfare Of Animals In Traditional Circuses

EDM number 1731 in 1992-93, proposed by John Denham on 31/03/1993.

That this House believes that the traditional circus gives rise to enormous concern for the welfare of animals; notes that they are kep for long periods in close confinement in abnormal social groups and with regular transportation; deplores the constant routine of training and performing with such abnormal conditions having been shown to cause suffering and distress among animals which are essentially wild; further notes that, unlike zoos, which are regulated by the Zoos and Licensing Act 1981, there are not legislative standards for the welfare of circus animals; congratulates those local authorities which have sought to prevent circuses with wild animals from performing on publicly-owned land within their areas; and urges the Government to give urgent consideration to enabling local authorities to extend such a ban to all circuses performing within their local authority areas whether on private or public land.

This motion has been signed by a total of 41 MPs.