Born Free’s Head of Animal Welfare and Captivity Chris Draper said: “It is truly staggering that, as we approach 2018, wild animals are still being moved from place to place in the name of dubious entertainment, at significant cost to their welfare and placing human safety at risk. This recent tragedy is the almost-inevitable outcome of permitting wild animals to be used in this way, and just the latest in a long line of appalling incidents relating to circuses with wild animals; any right-thinking person can see that this practice must end”.

Born Free hopes that the government in France will follow Italy and Ireland and act swiftly to bring in legislation to end the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. Furthermore, it is imperative that the governments in Westminster, Belfast, Cardiff, and Edinburgh stop procrastinating and introduce long-awaited legislation to end this outdated practice across the UK.

What you can do

Help us to consign wild animal circuses in the UK to the history books by taking the action relevant to where you live:

If you live in the UK, please write to/email your MPand ask them to call on Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Environment, to move swiftly to bring in the long-awaited legislation banning wild animals in circuses in England before Brexit negotiations take up the majority of Parliamentary time.

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, there are important specific actions you can take to support the Born Free Foundation’s campaign to bring an end to the outdated and cruel use of wild animals in travelling circuses. 

If you live outside of the UK, you can support the campaign by sharing this page and our other updates on social media or via email; this really helps us to spread the word on this important issue.