NEW SCIENTIFIC REPORT ON ANIMAL SUFFERING IN TRAVELLING CIRCUSES

19 April 2006

Animal Defenders International (ADI) is to present a new report on animals in travelling circuses to the House of Lords today.  The new study reviews the scientific evidence on the effects of transport and captivity in wild and domestic animals. 

It looks at the common indicators of stress – the hormonal and behavioural changes in the animals’ bodies as a result of transportation, which can result in compromised immune system and increased incidence of disease, weight loss, lowering of reproductive rates, and increased aggression.

The evidence that ADI has assimilated over the past ten years from undercover studies, observations, video and photographs has now been backed up by the scientific evidence of suffering during transportation and captivity.

ADI’s video evidence has demonstrated that abnormal, repetitive (stereotypic) behaviours have been observed in all species studied in travelling circuses – whether domesticated or wild (exotic).  These abnormal behaviours are not seen in the wild and are indicators of stress and poor welfare.

The new report concludes that the scientific evidence demonstrates that travelling circus is not a suitable place for an animal due to the necessary restrictions on space, on workers’ time, on mobility of equipment.  The circumstances of continuous travel and unstable environments cause stress in the animals which may not reduce over time – in fact ADI believes that the negative effects on the animals’ health may worsen over time. 

These restrictions mean that a travelling circus cannot provide animals with the environment and facilities that they need to maintain health and welfare.

The new report also includes new data on animals in travelling circuses during March and April 2006 – where animals were observed:

left in their transporters for 17.5 hours, when the journey had lasted just 3.5 hours;
Some lions and tigers remained in their transporter for 27 hours;
Others remained in their transporters for 4-5 hours, for a 2 hour journey;
Although exercise enclosures were made available, it can be days before they are erected, and then they are not always used
Some animals did not go out into exercise enclosures at all

An Executive Summary of the new report:  “Animals in Travelling Circuses:  the science on suffering” can be seen below, and the full report can be seen at http://www.ad-international.org/admin/downloads/circuses_science_awb_lords_(low_res).pdf