Calls for a ban on wild animals in circuses

Campaigners from Animal Defenders International (ADI) are calling for a ban on the use of wild animals in British circuses, after releasing footage showing elephants being mistreated by their keepers. The organisation said that the animals in the Great British Circus were hit in the face, kept chained up, left in their vehicle for up to 11 hours a day and showed signs of disturbed behaviour. The circus said that a keeper who had been found hitting the elephants was "instantly sacked", calling his behaviour "insupportable and completely wrong". Jan Creamer, chief executive of ADI, said the undercover footage was an "indictment" of the industry: "In the name of entertainment these elephants are beaten, jabbed with hooks, chained up for hours every day, and pushed into a metal box each week where they remain for hours on end whilst the circus moves to another site. "The public wants to see a ban, Parliament wants a ban, animal protection groups want a ban. Surely it is time for the Government to take action to stop this suffering right now." However, the Great British Circus said that, apart from the "short time" the animals spent in their transporters - which they said averaged around three hours a fortnight - the elephants had "roomy accommodation" including a stables tent and paddock. Conditions were frequently inspected by officials and no-one hit the animals, the circus said.

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ITN | August 19, 2009

Tags:. .calling. .animals. .action. .showed. .creamer