Campaigners staging elephant protest
ANIMAL rights activists are planning to stage a protest outside Newark Showground today.
Campaigners will demonstrate against the use of elephants at the Great British Circus.
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Elephants are performing at the Great British Circus
Oliver Dean, 26, from the Sheffield Animal Friends group, said at least 20 people would be handing out leaflets and talking to visitors as they arrived for the 3pm showing.
He said: "We want to catch people as they go in and raise awareness of our campaign against using animals in circuses.
"Britain has a very strong tradition of caring for animals.
"Incarcerating them for the sake of an hour's entertainment is unethical."
The RSPCA condemned the return of elephants to UK big tops and described the move as a "body blow for animal welfare in this country".
A small group of campaigners staged a protest at the opening night of the circus on Friday.
Mr Dean said: "We had some good conversations with people. People were taking leaflets and listening to us.
"There are people who do not want to know but you expect that."
Campaigners from across the country are expected to join the demonstration, which starts at 2pm at the showground's entrance.
Members of the public are invited to take part.
Meanwhile, just 60 people turned up when the Great British Circus opened in the 700-seat big top on Friday and only 170 turned up yesterday, it has been reported.
There were rows of empty seats as Delhi, Wana Mana and Sonja the elephants were paraded round the ring before balancing on small stools.
4 Comments
by Andyman, Derbys
Monday, March 02 2009, 6:18PM
“Where is the problem with circuses having performing animals, many zoos do, and its all in the name of revenue. Monies raised by such events, in many cases, are reinvested to provide for animals through breeding programmes or the protection of endangered species. Do we have a minority of people seemingly putting the welfare of animals above all else, or is it a minority attracting publicity. Under current legislation, many organisations can act if an animal it cruelly treated or abused, so have any of these organisations been involved in a case with this particular circus.
Many animals are working animals, it is a fact of life, ranging from dogs as the obvious, through to dolphins being trained to detect underwater explosive devices for the military.
My thoughts are that we should be looking at how these animals perform, and how they are treated when they are not performing, giving us an objective view and a means to obtaining a satisfactory balance between the two.”
by Zabech,, Nottingham
Sunday, March 01 2009, 8:44PM
“Sorry I say the bear never wash the saloon car of peoples”
by Zabech, Nottingham
Sunday, March 01 2009, 8:37PM
“This is good, In my homeland we have the bears that dance and we make them dance by standing on hot metals, If the Bears does not dance then we have the fun by shooting him in the forests. But we never degrade the bear by making him was the saloon cars of other peoples
jest dobry, W mojej ojczyznie mamy niesie co taniec i wyrabiamy & ta¿czy¿ przez stanie na gor¿cym metalu, Je¿eli Niesie nie ta¿czy potem mamy zabawa przez strzelanie w w lasach.”
by Bored on a Sunday, Nottm
Sunday, March 01 2009, 4:34PM
“Back to the dark ages they will be having dancing bears next.
Stop them now !!!!!!!!!!”