The charity Captive Animals’ Protective Society (CAPS) along with a number of Irish organisations took to the streets of Dublin earlier this month, to highlight the plight of circus animals in Ireland. They spoke too hundreds of animal lovers and handed out lots of informative material, including the Captive Animals’ Protection Society’s new report, called ‘Ring of Cruelty II’.

In the video above it show’s an elephant balancing on a stool, with a child hanging off the elephants trunk, whilst swings around. According to CAPS’ Veterinary Advisor Samantha Lindley BVSc MRCVS “This powerful yet sensitive piece of muscle is vulnerable to damage and in particular ‘trunk paralysis’.

Rings of Cruelty II was commissioned to understand the current situation regarding circuses in Ireland and provide a comparison to a prior study in 2006 called Ring of Cruelty. The last six years has seen a positive change in the number of animals used, but according to Captive Animals’ Protection Society ‘it is clear that the ongoing campaign to see an end to the use of animals in circuses in Ireland is having an impact, but there is still some way to go to ensure that animal suffering in Irish circuses is ended once and for all.’

2012: Steps forward

– There are now only four circuses using animals in Ireland.
– Overall numbers of animals has decreased to 58: 16 wild animals and 42 domestic animals.
– Importation of animals for circuses has reduced since 2006.
– Funding from Government agency, Arts Council Ireland, for animal circuses has been reduced from €247,000 in 2006 to €103,000 in 2012/2013.

Taken from website

For further information visit:

http://www.irishcircuses.org/ringofcruelty2

To read a full copy of the report rings of cruelty II click here:

http://www.irishcircuses.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Irish_Circuses_2012_merged_lores_Final.pdf

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