Circus incident sparks ban call

An incident in which a man was seriously injured by an elephant at a circus in Ireland on Sunday (June 26th) has prompted animal rights campaigners to call for a ban on this type of use of animals. The employee of Circus New York, which was at Tramore in County Waterford, was trampled and gored by an elephant after it became unsettled. After undergoing emergency surgery at Waterford Regional Hospital the man’s condition was described as ‘serious’.

"Animal circuses clearly present a risk to the health and safety of staff and visitors, in addition to creating huge welfare problems to the animals who are kept in inadequate conditions and transported around the country on a weekly basis,” said Craig Redmond, from the Captive Animals’ Protection Society (CAPS).

The call follows a complaint earlier in the year by an animal charity over the use of an aged elephant, which is also resident in a circus, in a television advert for the AA.
The use of elephants in circuses has also been criticised in the past by experts, who say that their complex social and roaming needs cannot be satisfied in captivity.

"Since 1990, around 70 people have been killed by elephants in captivity worldwide, most of them in circuses and zoos. It is clear that keeping such large, powerful animals in conditions where they are not only in close contact with staff and visitors, but also their basic welfare needs are not met, is an accident waiting to happen,” added Mr Redmond.