ANIMAL rights protestors have been out in force against a travelling circus.
Protestors from a string of groups such as Derby Animal Rights spent an hour outside the Circus Mondao grounds, in Woodland Road, Stanton, on Sunday, giving out information to passersby and circus audiences.
David Owe, of Derby Animal Rights who was one of the protestors, said: “It went really well. We were getting feedback from the public is always encouraging.
“Hopefully they recognise how cruel animal circuses can be and just how outdated they are and that they should welcome the human-only circuses.”
It is not the first time the circus has come under fire from animal rights groups.
Animal Defenders International (ADI) was also hoping for a boycott over travelling conditions of the animals, with a spokesman saying that animals are constantly on the road and ‘endure constant transportation and live in rudimentary, temporary accommodation.’
The circus has already defended its business, with Petra Jackson, ring mistress, saying their animals only travel 20 to 30 miles at a time and are in purpose built horse boxes.
Mr Owe added: “The reaction we had was good. We had a lot of cars going past hooting their horns and putting their thumbs up, and we were also giving leaflets out to people going into the circus.
“There was no hostile reaction but people didn’t know that animals are constantly on the road, large quantity of that time in wagons.
“The circus have had protestors in other places so they were not surprised.
“We thought the use of animals in circuses would have been banned by now. The outgoing government did timetable a ban of wild animals but this has not happened yet.
“People are intelligent and compassionate enough to make their own minds up.”
