Council is “ethically confused” on live animals for entertainment
Brisbane activists have called on Brisbane City Council to follow David Jones’ lead and ban the use of live animals in its Christmas activities.
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GRASSROOTS animal activists are calling on the Brisbane City Council to reconsider its decision to use live reindeer in this year’s Christmas display in Reddacliff Place.
David Jones has already decided to remove live animals from its annual Christmas parade in the Queen St Mall deciding it was not “necessary to include animals for entertainment purposes”.
With more than 4000 signatures on a change.org petition, activists Daniel Heggie and Aaron Lee said they were still hopeful Council would reconsider its decision before the Santa Stable opened on December 14.
Mr Heggie said initial discussions with Council had indicated all animals would be removed from the Christmas activities after grassroots organisations including Animal Liberation Queensland and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) called for the ban again this year.
He said protesters had been seeking to draw Council’s attention to worldwide bans on the use of animals for entertainment.
“Council’s current position is both a half measure and ethically confused,” Mr Heggie said.
“We are still hopeful Council will cancel the use of the animals. We also believe the use of animals goes against the spirit of Christmas which is about kindness to all.”
Mr Lee said the continued use of animals for entertainment, especially in front of children, reinforced the idea that animals are “children’s toys and that’s not the message for the future.”
They both said deer were shy, flighty animals and became easily distressed by noisy, crowded environments and animal behavioural experts had provided evidence and data to the Brisbane City Council regarding their concerns.
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Protesters raised concerns about the impact of the red deer (‘reindeer’), camels, horses and other live animals being used in the Christmas activities including the David Jones Pararde.
A spokeswoman for David Jones confirmed there would be no live animals in the 2018 Brisbane Christmas Parade presented by David Jones.
“Our decision to ensure there were no animals used in the parade was made following discussions with the event organiser, Brisbane City Council, earlier in the year,” the spokeswoman said.
“Our decision not to use animals in the parade was made because we do not believe it was necessary to include animals for entertainment purposes. David Jones is a proud sponsor of the Brisbane Christmas Parade. It is a highly anticipated event attended by many in the community and we look forward to being part of this festive event in the lead up to Christmas.”
A Brisbane Marketing spokesman said the 2018 Brisbane Christmas program would include Santa’s Stable, a “chance for families to take selfies with Santa’s deer”.
“Santa’s Stable will take place for an hour from 5.30pm each evening from 14-23 December at Reddacliff Place and feature two Australian red deer,” the spokesman said.
“Families love seeing Santa’s deer and this year there will be more to see and do with the opportunity to get happy snaps as one of the highlights of the Christmas program.
The Australian red deer reside in Brisbane, are supplied by a reputable family business and will be placed in a comfortable enclosure.”
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RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said RSPCA policy on using animals for entertainment was clear: “we oppose the use of animals for entertainment where there is a risk of injury, pain, suffering or distress”.
Mr Beatty said using deer for Christmas entertainment “does raise the risk of distress at least, if nothing else. It is difficult to justify that risk solely for entertainment purposes”.
“The RSPCA does not have the power to remove the animals under law unless there is a clear breach of the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, that is, unless they are clearly suffering and/or not being cared for adequately. Risk alone is not enough for us to be able to remove the animals.
In this heat there are always concerns regarding animals. It appears that David Jones have decided not to take the risk in these conditions and we applaud that.”
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LETTER FROM ACTIVISTS TO THE LORD MAYOR 2017
Sent: Wednesday, 1 February 2017 3:21 PM
To: LordMayor
Subject: Use of animals in the 2016 Christmas Parades in Brisbane’s CBD
Dear Lord Mayor
It was brought to our attention in December last year that a variety of animal species were being used in the nightly Christmas Parades in Brisbane City from 16-24 December. When we heard that the animals included deer, which are known to be shy and flighty animals, we felt concerned as to how these and the other animals involved would cope in such a noisy, crowded city environment.
We filmed two Christmas parades: December 16: https://www.facebook.com/animalliberationqld/videos/1558556140826793/ and December 18: https://vimeo.com/189895651
We observed one deer’s constant head bobbing and the apparent ‘sleeping’ of one of the donkeys, which seemed utterly unlikely in such a stimulating environment. We assumed the behaviours we filmed were likely to be stress-driven.
On the Animal Liberation Qld Facebook page we posted footage from both parades and shortly afterwards Dr Karen Dawson, a Brisbane veterinarian with specialist qualifications in animal behaviour, commented on the post, stating that from what she observed in the videos, these animals were very stressed and she believed their participation in the Christmas parades was to the detriment of their welfare.
We subsequently contacted Dr Dawson with whom we had no prior association and she was willing to provide her expert opinion on the use of animals in these parades. Attached is a copy of her detailed response in which she is very clear that the animals’ participation in the parades is stressful for them, inappropriate and not indicative of any informed understanding of the animals’ emotional welfare requirements (hard copy available on request). Dr Dawson believes that providing for the animals’ emotional welfare is critical for their overall welfare.
We understand that RSPCA Qld stated in the media last December that they did not have any concerns regarding the participation of the animals, but we would respectfully suggest that they were likely to be expressing a view that participation would not be cause for a breach of the Animal Care & Protection Act, rather than giving a ringing endorsement of the animals’ use. Perhaps RSPCA Qld could be contacted for their response to Dr Dawson’s observations and behaviour analysis.
In view of Dr Dawson’s clear and frank advice that good animal welfare for these animals is impossible if they are placed in this particular city environment, we would ask that you reconsider the use of all animals in the 2017 Christmas Parades.
Having attended last year’s parades myself, I know full well that there were many vibrant human performers, light shows, music and of course the appearance of Santa that held the crowd’s attention. The enjoyment and standard of the parade would not diminish if animals were no longer a part of it.
Many people in fact would welcome an animal-free parade. It would then meet a rapidly changing community expectation around the importance of a high standard of animal welfare.
I sincerely trust that Dr Dawson’s expertise will be taken on board in your forward planning and I look forward to favourable consideration being given to an animal-free series of Christmas Parades this coming December.
I would appreciate being advised in due course of your decision in relation to this matter.
Yours sincerely
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