Rosanna Davison Urges Dublin City Council to Ban Wild-Animal Circuses

For Immediate Release:

25 July 2016

Contact:
Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 222; [email protected]

ROSANNA DAVISON URGES DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL TO BAN WILD-ANIMAL CIRCUSES

‘Animals Are not Ours to Abuse for Human Amusement’, Writes Model in Letter Sent Ahead of Monday’s Vote

Dublin – With Dublin City Council expected to vote on whether or not to ban wild-animal circuses from public land this evening, model Rosanna Davison has sent an urgent letter on behalf of PETA and Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) to the council calling on it to support the motion put forward by Sinn Féin Councillor Noeleen Reilly to ban the wild-animal acts.

“Animals are not ours to abuse for human amusement – and it’s simply unacceptable for astonishing animals like elephants, lions, and tigers to be deprived of everything that’s natural and important to them, just so that spectators can watch them perform ridiculous and often painful tricks,” writes Davison.

She concludes by saying, “A ban which reflects an adequate understanding of the needs, interests, and behaviour of animals who deserve to remain wild is long overdue. Please, join the growing list of local authorities that have rejected this archaic form of entertainment on their land”.

Wild animals in circuses are often torn away from their mothers as babies, cannot engage in natural behaviour, are moved around in cramped and filthy conditions, and are chained or caged for up to 23 hours a day. In addition, they endure abusive treatment, commonly suffer from chronic health problems and psychological disorders, and experience premature death.

Austria, Croatia, and the Netherlands are among the many countries that have introduced bans on wild-animal circuses, while several local authorities – including Galway, South Dublin, Kildare, Waterford, Arklow, and Monaghan – have banned these acts from public land.

Davison joins The X Factor judge Louis Walsh in teaming up with PETA and ARAN to banish wild-animal circus acts from Ireland. Her full letter is available upon request.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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