On 15 July 2020, the Welsh Parliament passed the Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Bill to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in Wales.

Since its public consultation in 2019, the draft Bill has been “overwhelmingly backed” and has garnered over 6,500 responses, with 97% supporting the introduction of the ban.

The new law will make it an offence to use, or permit another person to use wild animals in travelling circuses- through performance or exhibition. Anyone guilty of such offence will face a penalty of an unlimited fine in the courts. Subject to Royal Assent, the ban will be enacted on 1 December 2020.

Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said: -

“The use of wild animals for entertainment in this way is outdated - wild animals are sentient beings with complex needs, and they should not be seen as commodities for our entertainment.”

Wales will now join almost 45 other countries, nations and states globally to have banned the practice of using wild animals in circuses. In the UK, the use of wild animals in circuses was banned under the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019.

In 2006, the School of Biological Sciences of the University of Bristol published a review of the welfare of wild animals in circuses, which you can read here.

Wild circus animals are usually captive bred but this does not mean they are tame. Forcing wild animals to perform under the threat of punishment is a practice that has no place in a compassionate society. When on tour, circus animals will spend most of their time in confined spaces, tethered or fenced off to graze.

Courtesy of Arial Ng.

Main resource: BBC