Canterbury Bankstown Council to ban exotic animals from circuses
THE era of lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, bears, primates performing in circuses is about to end as Canterbury Banktown Council is due to ban them from council land.
The Express
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THE era of lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, bears, primates performing in circuses is about to end as Canterbury Banktown Council is due to ban them from council land.
Under the tough new law, no circuses can use exotic animals in performances on council land, including Carysfield Reserve in Bass Hill, which is a popular venue.
Mayor Khal Asfour said big cats, elephants and other exotic animals should not be caged or made to perform. About 40 councils in Australia have a similar ban.
The policy will be on public exhibition until July 30 and the ban will not affect circuses which have already gained council approval.
A surprised Stardust ringmaster Adam St James told The Express that the ban will definitely affect them and impact on the livelihoods of their staff and animals.
“We have been bringing our circus to Bass Hill for more than 30 years and we do fabulous business,” Mr St James said. “We have fabulous crowds and our shows are sold out.”
If the ban is implemented, Stardust — whose owners have been in the business since the 1890s — will hold its last circus at Carysfield Reserve in August.
“We follow the very strict Australian code of practice and we have never had a conviction of animal cruelty,” Mr St James said.
“It will be a stupid decision to stop our circus from coming to Bass Hill and we hope people from the area will support us by contacting the council and telling them their decision is wrong.
“We hope the ban is not followed by other councils.”
The circus has six lions, four monkeys, 15 ponies, seven dogs, three goats and two pigs in their shows which usually run between three to four weeks at a venue. “We all agree it is not appropriate for lions, tigers, elephants and the like, to be caged and used as performance animals,” Cr Asfour said.
Animals Australia, one of the leading animal protection organisations, praised the council for taking this decision.
“Canterbury-Bankstown Council joins dozens of other Australian councils that have also recognised that a travelling circus cannot meet the social and behavioural needs of wild animals,” campaign director Lisa Chalk said.
“Animals Australia welcomes this progressive and compassionate new policy.
“Animal-based circuses send all the wrong messages to children about our relationship with animals — they teach them that these animals exist purely for our entertainment.
“There is certainly no educational value in forcing animals to perform unnatural tricks in a totally unnatural environment.”
The community can make submissions to cb.city/haveyoursay by July 30.