EU member states may ban wild animals in circuses
 The European Commission has confirmed again that the Austrian ban on wild animals in circuses is legal and thus has refuted a complaint by the European Circus Association (ECA) to the European Ombudsman. Now the path is finally clear for a ban in other EU member states.
Opinion of the Commission
After the European Commission stopped the infringement procedures against Austria in 2006, the Commission has now repeated this decision to the European Ombudsman. The member states can decide how to protect wild animals in circuses, and they may enforce a strict ban like Austria.
Here you can download the Commission’s answer to Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros (Englisch, PDF, 334 KB).
FOUR PAWS asks countries like Germany, the Netherlands and the UK to follow the Austrian example.
Animals suffering in the circus
Constant lack of space, permanent transports and doubtful training methods are part of every day life in the circus. Under these circumstances, wild animals cannot live according to the needs of their species. This is why many European countries enforced a legal ban or restricted the use of wild animals in circuses. These deplorable conditions cannot be relieved by instructions or control; therefore FOUR PAWS sees a strict ban as the only means to stop the suffering of wild animals in circuses.
Complaint by ECA
It seems that the German “Circus Krone”, member of the European Circus Association, is planning to file a complaint to the Austrian Constitutional Court. FOUR PAWS encourages the Austrian Government to defend the ban. Many circuses without wild animals are very successful, in Austria and all over the world. A circus with wild animals is a phase-out model.
Read more about "Circus without Wild Animals"
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International
Europe
Austria
Bulgaria
Germany
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Netherlands
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