Norway’s First Local Council Bans Wild Animals in Circuses!

Looks like the movement to ban cruel animal circuses is rapidly gaining steam. Countries such as Greece, Cyprus, Paraguay and Peru have banned the use of wild animals in performances, the U.K. announced that its own ban would go into effect in 2015, and South Dublin, Ireland also outlawed the use of animals in circuses this March.

And now, Tromsø has become the first local council in Norway to secure a ban on the use of all wild animals on public land!

The motion to ban animal circuses in Tromsø was first introduced to the council on Apr. 30 by the local Green Party, in co-operation with Norwegian Animal rights association, NOAH. While progress on a bill to outlaw animal circuses throughout the whole of Norway – first introduced in 2009 – has seemingly come to a standstill, Animal Defenders International (ADI) has welcomed the news of this local ban. They state that “it is fantastic to see measures to help circus animals being introduced to the country.”

Back in March, Norwegian circus company Circus Arnado announced that it would no longer use elephants in their shows, as they “(didn’t) have enough room for them anymore.”

While NOAH welcomed the announcement, they did put a little bit of snark into their response by pointing out that “elephants need more room than a circus can provide.”

However strongly a circus may claim to treat their animals humanely, the bottom line is that elephants, lions, tigers and other “exotic” animals commonly used in these shows were not born to be exploited for the sake of human entertainment. Circuses have a long history of mistreating, neglecting and failing to provide adequate care for their animals.

Ultimately, the only truly “humane” circus is animal-free.

Image source: Tim Evanson/Flickr