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Keep Wild Animal Acts Off the Road in Texas
Stop Circus Suffering - Avoid supporting an industry that involves cruelty and suffering to animals.
As restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 slowly ease, circus trucks with caged tigers, lions, bears, and elephants in chains have started to roll into towns and cities in Texas. Animal Defenders International (ADI) is calling on venues not to support the hidden suffering by hosting wild/exotic animal acts.
ADI President Jan Creamer said: “Denied all that is natural to them, wild animals in circuses experience confined, deprived, and abusive lives. Unlike them, venues get to choose whether the show and the suffering goes on – and we urge them not to host animal acts.”
Studies of the use of wild animals in traveling circuses show that circuses cannot meet the physical or behavioral needs of wild animals. Animals are confined in small spaces, deprived of physical and social needs, spending excessive amounts of time shut in transporters. These animals are often seen behaving abnormally – rocking, swaying, and pacing, all indicating that they are in distress and not coping with their environment. ADI’s video evidence has shown how these animals are forced to perform tricks through physical violence, fear, and intimidation.
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When the circus is off the road, the animals are no better off. ADI investigations have revealed that, even when circuses are not touring, animal trailers are generally parked with the animals inside and elephants, camels, and zebras warehoused in barns.
With an opportunity to help stop circus suffering in the state, ADI is calling on Texan venues to adopt a ‘no wild/exotic animals’ policy for their events.
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Members of the public can support ADI’s call and reach out to venues here.
In the United States, 102 jurisdictions in 33 states have taken action to restrict wild/exotic animals from traveling circuses; Hawaii, New Jersey, and California have statewide bans. The Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act (TEAPSPA; HR2863/S2121), a federal bill to ban wild/exotic animal acts nationwide, is gaining support in the House and Senate.