The recent changes in the South African legislation empower the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DFFE) to prohibit activities that negatively affect the well-being of wild animals.
Meanwhile, tigers and lions continue being abused in performances across the country. when the show is over, they are forced back into their small and unsheltered pop-up metal enclosures, where they pace in circles, for hours in desperation. This is how these animals will live their entire lives.
Internationally, chains, whips and sharpened tools are used during training, and food deprivation is another strategy used to reach training goals.
Many organizations and institutions have, for years, campaigned against this unnatural, inhumane, unethical way of exploiting animals for pure entertainment and profit in South Africa.
Circuses claim that they fulfil an educational role by using wild animals for entertainment: the animals are "ambassadors", the circus gives children the opportunity to see magnificent animals and learn more about them.
Instead, children learn that it is okay to cage a wild animal, to torture him/her into submission, to force him/her into small spaces with loud and unnatural noise and human-built structures.
In South Africa, children have an opportunity to access and view large wildlife in natural environments, in the wild. No need to go to the circus for that purpose!
Animal-free circuses are successful internationally, there is no reason why circuses in South Africa cannot adapt and continue their business without using and abusing animals.
THE MINISTRY HAS CLEARLY EXPRESSED ITS POSITION AGAINST THE USE OF CAPTIVE CATS. WE URGE THE HONOURABLE MINISTRY BARBARA CREECY TO FORMALLY PROHIBIT WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Animals who are victims of this practice must be allowed to finally retire in accredited sanctuaries, away from the human presence that reminds them of a life of exploitation and abuse.
SIGN THE PETITION!
