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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think you can still have a successful circus without the poor f**king animals?

55 replies

CookieRookie · 07/08/2012 15:19

I'm absolutely livid at the moment Angry

I've just come back from shopping in town and have seen a circus plonked on an unfinished housing estate. There are five Asian elephants, two camels and other smaller animals grazing in an area no bigger than half an acre WITH buildings on it and vacant concrete lots so not even half an acre to graze!

I know most people are unlikely to get a chance to see these animals at such close range and in the flesh but it's just so very wrong IMO.

AIBU (1) to think there are plenty of other things a circus can host besides these poor creatures. Clowns, trapeez (sp?) artists, dirt bikes, stong men/women, pyrotechnics etc?

AIBU (2) to think it should be outlawed?

OP posts:
DozyDuck · 07/08/2012 15:22

YANBU.

I had a man I was going to date text me once saying 'I'm at a circus, there's a tiger in its cage but they won't let me go near it'

I put 'poor tiger'

And he started chatting on about how people wouldn't see them otherwise and it was fed.

I didn't go on the date.

I don't go to places that use animals like that.

GhostShip · 07/08/2012 15:23

I've been petitioning for against the use of animals in the circus since I was about 14.

A ban was supposed to come in this year, I've not seen it as of yet though. So the powers that be are aware of the problem

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17218299 interesting. Obviously things like this take a back seat when they've got Olympics to watch...:(

WorraLiberty · 07/08/2012 15:23

It's only outlawed as far as council property is concerned here...so they look for private land owners to rent their land.

YANBU though

One of the best Circus' I ever went to was a Chinese Circus full of Shaolin (sp) Monks and it was spectacular.

Not an animal in sight.

Primrose123 · 07/08/2012 15:24

I agree with you.

I last went to the circus in Germany twenty years ago, and hated seeing how the tigers were treated during the show. I decided then that I would never take my children to a circus with performing animals.

kilmuir · 07/08/2012 15:24

YANBU. Hopefully this cruelty will be stopped one day. Stupid MIL bought my children tickets for a similar circus, not a chance i said. Oh but they enjoy it, the animals would not do it otherwise! She says.
Should complain to the council

Chundle · 07/08/2012 15:24

Yanbu we recently went to an amazing circus with no animals. I'm fairly sure they're not allowed to keep big animals in circus in UK anymore, are you in UK?

Empusa · 07/08/2012 15:25

YANBU

I hate it :(

redrubyshoes · 07/08/2012 15:26

This is 21st century Britain and we still allow this. I despair, I really do.

What a horrible life for those animals.

ScarletLadyOfTheNight01 · 07/08/2012 15:27

I didn't even realise they could still do it with exotic animals (in the UK). Of course you can have a great circus without them. I hate stuff like this and definitely think it should be outlawed.

lurkedtoolong · 07/08/2012 15:33

Exotic animals in circuses are still allowed in UK sadly, but don't think OP is here as mentioned circus has elephants and the last circus elephant was removed recently and circus owners on cruelty charges.

Keeping animals in circuses is massively cruel. Every major animal welfare organisation is against it, over 90% of the public have said they want it outlawed in various consultations, House of Commons voted overwhelmingly for a ban but this bastard government keep making excuses why they can't ban it so the cruelty goes on.

FoofHundredMetreFreestyle · 07/08/2012 15:34

Yanbu. My DCs will NEVER go to a circus while there are animals forced to perform for braying idiots.

Original poster
CookieRookie · 07/08/2012 15:38

Sorry, should have said, I'm in Ireland.

I have to look into it, I won't go into town knowing I have to pass it. It's adjacent to the main road. Lots of cars stopping, families gathering to look. It's bloody awful.

DD didn't like it first when all her friends were allowed to go to them and she wasn't but she understands now why I wouldn't let her and if she's asked now she has no problem declining the offer and stating clearly why.

I'm away to ring the council.

OP posts:
missymoomoomee · 07/08/2012 15:40

I hate the circus and I also hate the continuing spate of people going abroad and coming back with photos of them posing with tigers too. These poor animals are constantly sedated (both in the circus and at these zoo places abroad) and they are stuck in tiny cages for hours and hours every day and not given the correct diet either. It actually makes my blood boil to think of all these majestic creatures to be reduced to no more than a performing puppet.

MollyMurphy · 07/08/2012 15:57

YANBU - cirque de soliel does okay sans the sad unhappy animals

Original poster
CookieRookie · 07/08/2012 16:19

MMMM That's kind of where it all started for us four years ago. We visited Discovery Cove in Florida and swam with the dolphins. On our return we were telling dd's aunt and she was horrified. She was the one who opened our eyes and helped us to see past the "conservation efforts" and "humane" crap that was peddled in the emails before we booked.

I suppose because we were ignorant at one stage I feel we can't really say anything about those who continue to attend things like that but I'd like to think if they knew the truth they'd make the decision to never go again.

I've rang the council who say it's private property so nothing to do with them but I've also rang the ISPCA and they tell me it has to be because the council still have to grant the license. The lady in the ISPCA said unfortunately it is not against the law and really the only thing I can do is contact an animal rights group and ask for their help in petitioning for the law to be changed.

OP posts:
Original poster
CookieRookie · 07/08/2012 16:21

My last post appears to be saying anyone who goes to a circus or water park with animals is ignorant. Maybe unaware would be a better word.

OP posts:
BlueBirdsNest · 07/08/2012 16:24

i thought it had been outlawed

Are there seriously still places that have live animals? Are you in the UK?

ripsishere · 07/08/2012 16:24

YANBU. I honestly thought that animals were banned from circus' in the UK.
We lived in Thailand for four years. I campaigned against the tigers you could have photographs taken with or feed a bottle of milk to.
It is hideous, along with dolphins/whales/seals in capitivity.

RichTeas · 07/08/2012 16:25

We went to a circus without animals and it was such a bore. Surely it's possible to have circus animals and keep/treat them humanely. I think we are too precious about "animals rights" in this country. Many circus animals are spared and even crueler fate in their home countries so sometimes there is a bigger picture involved.

JennerOSity · 07/08/2012 16:27

Cirque Du Soleil!!! Best circus in the world and no animals in sight. Grin

www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/home.aspx#/en/home/europe/ireland.aspx

Empusa · 07/08/2012 16:30

"I think we are too precious about "animals rights" in this country."

Hmm Hardly.

How exactly do you think they could be kept humanely? Considering how much space these animals (especially elephants!) need. They will never get the space they need with a circus.

CaptainHetty · 07/08/2012 16:30

YANBU. I hate animals being paraded around for the sake of entertainment.

The last circus we saw was (I think - it was a few years ago now) the Moscow State Circus, and there were no animals involved at all. It was still highly entertaining.

ripsishere · 07/08/2012 16:31

With all due respect Richteas, the fact that the animals are being spared a crueller fate in their home countries is immaterial.
The animals are suffering now. In 20th century England. I loathe zoos, so I'm probably not being entirely rational.

GhostShip · 07/08/2012 16:32

Richteas:

  1. Oh I'm so sorry it was such a 'bore'
  2. Yes there could be humane ways, but I'm not sure how. What working rights do animals have? How much is too much? Who would leglislate it? Who would make sure things were put into practice? This would also cost more money
  3. Precious about animal rights? You mean we're civilised and care about fellow animals and their right to live a life free from abuse.
  4. Where have you got your facts from there, that they're 'spared'. Hardly spared when they're taken from the wild are they?
NiniLegsInTheAir · 07/08/2012 16:33

Shock @ Richteas

(sits back waiting for shit to hit fan)