“Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls, Welcome to our 2011 Tour” says the Bobby Roberts Super Circus website.
“Traditional Family Circus Entertainment At Its Very Best, suitable for everyone young and old.” Unless you happen to be a 57-year-old elephant, that is.
Shocking footage released this weekend by Animal Defenders International (ADI) has shown the elderly, severely arthritic elephant, Anne, being abused by a worker at Bobby Roberts Circus.
Anne was repeatedly struck with a metal pitchfork and kicked around the face and body, a total of 48 times over the period of observation.Workers were also seen beating and spitting on a camel and beating miniature ponies and horses.
OneKind, ADI and other animal welfare groups have long urged government in the UK to put a stop to the misery of wild animals in circuses by introducing a ban on their use in this outdated entertainment.
An announcement from the coalition government at Westminster is expected shortly, and this most recent exposé can only increase their motivation to do the right thing.
In such an event, the last thing we want is for circuses with wild animals simply to relocate north of the border and try to establish themselves in Scotland.There is a real danger that this could happen if Scotland does not legislate promptly to ban them.
So what can YOU do to stop the use of wild animals in circuses?
- If you live in Scotland, please support our petition (below) to the incoming Scottish Parliament, asking for an immediate ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
- If you live anywhere in the UK, please write to your MP at: The House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA and ask if he or she has signed EDM 403 calling for the UK government to ban the use of wild animals in circuses in England.
- Have your say on our survey.
- And, no matter where you live, please air your views on Twitter using the hashtag #stopanimalcircuses and follow @onekindtweet
Over the last few years, Bobby Roberts Super Circus has toured the central belt of Scotland several times. OneKind has regularly tracked its summer tours of Scotland, and urged local authorities not to license their performances.
Not only did we cite animal welfare concerns, we also pointed out numerous breaches of licence conditions as the circus went from place to place.
There were breaches of letting agreements when the circus used council land, too. People contacted us regularly to say they were unhappy about what they saw in the circus ring.
Poor Anne has been trailed from venue to venue and many authorities have ignored the evidence about the circus life for animals. But these failings pale into insignificance compared with the violent truth that has finally been exposed by a campaigning welfare organisation.
Now that it is out, there must be no delay in acting.