Groupon Circus Deals

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Groupon ("Group Coupon") is a deal of the day website featuring discounted gift vouchers for national or local companies.  I regularly receive e-mails from them and have, on occasion, treated myself or somebody else to a coupon.  I was very disappointed when I received an e-mail from PETA informing me that Groupon unfortunately continues to offer deals for cruel circuses across America.  

Until Groupon agree to stop promoting circuses featuring animals I am no longer going to purchase any of their coupons and will be telling others to do the same.  Although I have no evidence that they offer deals for circuses here in the UK, what's to stop them doing so in the future?  Please spare a few moments to click here and fill in a few details and send a message to Groupon urging them to stop promoting animal based circuses.

Will animals in circuses really be banned?

A phase-in ban on wild animals in circuses, with a licensing scheme to be implemented in the meantime was announced on 1st March.  People all over the country were victorious and thought their hard work and campaigning had finally come to fruition.  It is now two months on and now the documents from the government have been studies in detail, people are less confident about the governments commitment to a ban.

This is because a deadline for the ban has still not been set and the details about the full ban are vague.  

Worryingly, the licensing scheme that is now in force will not safeguard the welfare of animals as it relies on circuses themselves to adhere to the welfare guidelines.

The most telling thing has been a letter from a Defra civil servant stating "I am not aware we have ever suggested that the licensing scheme would be a 'temporary' measure".  Other documents were enclosed with the proposal that were "littered with contradictions and inconsistencies" which leads the RSPCA and CAPS to question whether the government intend to keep their promise of a ban.

CAPS managed to secure a meeting with the relevant Minister towards the end of April, during the meeting the Minister confirmed that licensing will be temporary and that a ban would be in place before the end of this government's term (2015).  This is longer than hoped for, but better than the licensing system continuing for ten years or becoming permanent.

The Minister also confirmed that the ban will apply to all wild animals in circuses, with no clause allowing animals that are already in circuses to remain so.  From the date the ban begins it will be illegal for wild animals to be used in the travelling circus environment.

There are a few negative aspects to the meeting, the government are proposing a ban via primary legislation which will take a long time to implement.  Placing the ban under the Animal Welfare Act would speed up the process and reduce the suffering of animals.  Unfortunately the government don't agree, or choose not to.  

The government are determined that licensing will go ahead despite it not protecting the animals and being a complicated and expensive stop gap which takes focus away from the ban.  Despite there being a lack of support of the licensing system, it will still continue.

After the meeting CAPS believe that the intention to ban the use of wild animals in circuses is genuine.  There is still something that you can do to help, please click here and join the RSPCA in urging Defra to commit to a deadline.

Finally! Wild Animals in Circuses WILL be Banned!

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We're kicking off March with a bang!  According to the Daily Mail, Ministers will today announce that circuses will be banned from using wild animals within two years!

Pressure from members of the public (like us), MPs and celebrities have forced Minsters to make a U-turn and implement the ban.  Until the ban is introduced a tough licensing regime will be put in place for any circuses still using wild animals.

Read the full article here.

Has the use of wild animals in Circuses been banned yet?

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Whilst catching up with the Animal Blogs I follow I stumbled across this post from Four Paws remarking on how appalled they are that the UK Government continues to drag its feet over banning the use of wild animals in circuses.  Despite the ban being supported by the vast majority of the British public and politicians from all parties there has been no movement.  

Four Paws alludes to the House of Commons backbench debate in June 2011 where MPs approved unanimously of a motion for the government to ban the use of wild animals in circuses by July 2012.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) referred to a legal challenge to a similar ban in Austria as the reason they could not proceed with the ban.  The legal challenge to Austria's ban has since been dismissed which leaves Defra with no reason to refuse the ban.

Four Paws tells of two new Early Day Motions that have been launched this month calling on the Government to listen to the will of the House of Commons and endorse a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses, the other asking the Government to release reports of circus inspections that were carried out by Defra staff.  Previous requests to release these reports under the Freedom of Information Act have been refused.

What are they trying to hide?

Please e-mail your MP and ask them to sign EDM 2563 calling for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses and also EDM 2586 calling for the release of circus inspection reports.  You can find your MP by clicking here and typing in your postcode.  You are then able to click on the name of your MP and be directed to their e-mail address.  It would be better if you were to personalise your e-mail but here is a template in case you don't have enough time:

Dear _____,

I am writing to ask you to please sign DM 2563 calling for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses and also EDM 2586 calling for the release of circus inspection reports.  This ban is supported by the vast majority of the British public as well as politicians across all parties.  Several other European countries have enacted such bans, the latest being Greece.

I feel very strongly about this issue and ask that you sign both EDM's without further delay.

Yours sincerely,

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Please also e-mail the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Caroline Spelman and ask her to tell Defra to stop stalling and enact a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.  The template e-mail can be found at the bottom of this post, but do personalise it if you can please.

Please share this post with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, the more people that contact their MP's and Caroline Spelman - the better!

Protection for Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses, in the US

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Calling all U.S readers!

Exotic animals forced to perform in travelling circuses are separated from their families, trained in a brutal fashion to perform unnatural tricks, chained and confined to small pens and cages and shipped around the country in trains or trucks for months on end.  It is impossible for circuses to meet the complex needs of animals causing high levels of stress.

This issue has been under discussion in the UK and I am pleased that there is now a growing movement in the U.S towards the protection of wild animals in circuses.  Countries such as Austria, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Peru, Singapore and Sweden have all banned wild animals from travelling circuses. 

If you are a resident of the U.S you can help by sending a message to your Congressperson, urging them to support this vitally important bill.  Click on this link for further information and simply enter a few details to send the readily prepared message to your Congressperson. 

Please don't forget to tell your friends by sharing this action on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Thank you.

Update on Circus Ban (or lack thereof)

Anne, the elephant.

Some time ago I posted about Anne the elephant who after spending a life being beaten and abused was finally able to retire from “Bobby Roberts Super Circus” in April this year.

RSPCA reports that the Crown Prosecution Service has agreed to take on the prosecution of Bobby and Moira Roberts in relation to the alleged abuse of Anne.  The court date is set for today.

Anne has now been liberated from her circus life but despite overwhelming support from the pubic and MP’s, the government have still not implemented a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.  Instead of finding a solution, they have wasted resources on developing a licensing system that nobody wants.

If you are a UK resident please click here and contact your MP and ask them to contact Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE, the Minister responsible at Defra to take action on this urgent matter.   

Please share this with your friends on Facebook or Twitter and ask them to take action too.

Thank you.

What happened at the debate on Circuses?

BBC News tells how MP Mark Pritchard stood up to Prime Minister David Cameron after he was "threatened"

The Express tells of a "dirty tricks" row

New Statesmen says Number 10 was "humiliated" after MP's backed a ban on wild animals used in circuses.

The good news is that MP's voted unanimously for a ban!

QUICK! Less than 36 hours to make a difference.

On Thursday 23rd June, backbench MPs have forced a debate in the House of Commons on circuses which is very likely to be followed by a vote.  This comes after Government's recent decision not to introduce a total ban on wild animals being used in circuses and to introduce a licensing system instead.

If the MP's do back a ban on the use of wild animals in cirucses it doesn't mean it will automatically be passed as a law BUT it will increase the level of pressure on the Government.

How to help

Please can you spare a minute to click here in order to write to your MP asking them to attend the debate and vote to ban the use of wild animals in circuses?  All you need to do is click, enter a few details and WSPA will do the rest of the work for you.  If you do have time to add your views to the readily prepared e-mail it would be really great.

If you have some more time to spare, WSPA is supporting The Independent newspapers campaign asking for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.  Add your name to their petition here and please don't forget to spread the word.

Read WSPA's article and see what animal loving singer Leona Lewis says about the campaign.