For decades Friends of Animals has been working to redefine what family entertainment is by educating the public about the cruelty and exploitation inherent in circuses that use animals. That’s why we have a cheer for Italy and Ireland—the most recent countries to ban wild animal acts in circuses.
The Irish government ban will come into effect on Jan. 1 and rules on how Italy will implement phasing out all animals will be set within the year. There are 100 circuses in Italy and an average of 2,000 animals forced to perform, according to media reports.
We hope the United States will follow suit.
In March, U.S. Reps. Ryan Costello (R-PA) and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) reintroduced H.R. 1759, known as The Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act (TEAPSPA), which would amend the Animal Welfare Act to restrict the use of exotic and wild animals in traveling circuses and traveling performances.
Call or write your U.S. representatives and senators and tell them to vote yes to H.R. 1759. Find your senators here: https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/. Find your representatives here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/.
You can also support circuses that only have human performers, such as Cirque du Soleil and Circus Smirkus.