The Good News Keeps on Coming! Ireland Just Banned Using Wild Animals in Circuses

More fantastic news to share in the fight against animals used in entertainment! Just days after Italy voted to ban all circus acts, Ireland is following suit! That’s right, starting in January of 2018, the use of wild animals will be BANNED in Ireland!

Michael Creed, the Minister for Agriculture has signed the new legislation and said, “The use of wild animals for entertainment purposes in circuses can no longer be permitted. This is the general view of the public at large and a position I am happy to endorse.”

Activists and animal welfare organizations have been pushing for a ban for years, including Captive Animals Protection Society (Caps) and Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), which garnered 27,000 petition signatures in support of a ban. Many local authorities in Ireland already don’t allow public land to be used by circuses who continue to use wild animals, but the legislation is “reflective of the Government’s commitment to animal welfare,” Creed noted. The decision to enact the ban starting in 2018 is to allow for arrangements to be made for the animals still in circuses care.

Ireland joins several other countries including Romania, Iran, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, as well as a number of U.S. cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and Portland, Maine have already instated similar legislation that bans the use of wild animals in circuses, proving that the end of animals used in entertainment is near.

If you’re thrilled by Ireland’s compassionate move, be sure to share this fantastic news with your friends and family!

Image source:  pyrozhenka/Shutterstock