Elephant appeal
Jennifer Foulds • Published 15 Jul 2010 09:30
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CIRCUS organisers who have rolled into Cardross with an elderly elephant are being criticised by a national animal rights charity.
The Captive Animals' Protection Society (CAPS) is urging residents to boycott controversial Bobby Roberts Super Circus over its continued use of Anne the elephant - which is aged 57 and suffers from arthiritis.
The circus, described as "Britain's most popular traditional circus" on its website, opened on Tuesday at Westerhill Farm in Cardross.
CAPS claim Anne symbolises the tragic plight of wild animals used in circuses and says people should enjoy perfomances by humans at the shows, rather than "outdated animal acts".
Animal rights campaigners say they want the Asian elephant to see the rest of her life out in an animal sanctuary.
Craig Redmond, CAPS' campaigns director, said: "Taken from Sri Lanka when she was five years old, her whole life has been one of confinement, constant travel and being made to perform meaningless tricks.
"Elephants are highly intelligent sociable herd animals, but since the death of the circuses other two elephants in 2001, Anne has had no companions of her own kind.
"She now suffers from arthritis and walks with difficulty, but still appears in the circus ring to eat candy floss and be used as a photo prop."
The organisation is now calling on people in the area to make a stand by avoiding the rest of this week's shows, which finish on Sunday.
Simon Swash, ringmaster of the circus says the circus has nothing to hide and claims it would cause Anne considerable distress to be parted from her family.
He said: "We are disappointed by that and we do not agree with what they say.
"As far as Anne is concerned we have nothing to hide in the sense that she is seen by the public in the stables after the show and the conditions she is kept in is no secret.
"The local authorities all inspect the animals we have and they are all happy with their conditions. We have been given awards for our animal care in the past.
"She has been with Mr Roberts for 54 years and if you take any animal away from its familiar surroundings it would cause it considerable distress.
"She is perfectly happy where she is."
The Roberts family has been running a touring circus since 1945 and brothers Bobby and Tommy became household names in the 1970s, when their shows were broadcast on television.
Bobby Roberts has issued a statement on the circus website following a large amount of negative press published in national newspapers over the past few years.
It reads: "Anne has not performed for over seven years, but having worked faithfully for me for over 45 years we will now give her every possible care, attention and love for the remainder of her life.
"Our doors have always been, and always will be, open to RSPCA inspectors who call without notice and have always found our animals to be in good condition, well housed in their stable accommodation, have good transport facilities, and are well fed."
Ross Minett, Advocates for Animals' campaigns director Ross Minett added: "Many circuses now feature an all-human cast whose skills we can admire without worrying about animals being forced to perform, confined for long periods, and transported around the country months on end.
"With all we now know and understand about animals' abilities to think and feel it's no wonder the majority of the public no longer want to see wild animals being used in this way."
This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 15 Jul 10
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