Year 2021: the circus arrives in San Severo, a “shocking” triptych, as announced by the press. But do not you feel something out of place? Of course yes!
And even an ear that is not accustomed to this “music” would hear it.
But really in 2021 humanity still needs to “have fun” with a show of the nineteenth century, based on the PAIN of animals?
And do not think that these are the usual, grumbling complaints of unfortunate animal rights activists.
A poll commissioned by EUROGROUPS on ANIMALS confirms that 68% of Europeans and 77% of Italians want to stop animal circuses, and believe that the circus must reinvent itself by abandoning animal exploitation and proposing 84% of Italians is a completely “human” show and that the circus is a show with no educational or cultural purpose for 90% of Italians.
And wanting to ignore (but not) the official positions of the veterinary federations – which claim that: , as these animals have the same genetic heritage as their peers living in the wild, and therefore retain the same instinctive behaviors and physical needs that can not be met in a traveling circus “1 – and those of ethologists – that have signed the “Declaration on the welfare and ethological needs of wild and exotic animals in circuses” 2 which states that “wild and exotic animals are not suitable for a life in the circus” -, declaration 3, signed by several 650 psychologists, who expressed “justified concern about the consequences on the pedagogical, educational, psychological level of children’s attendance at zoos, circuses and festivals in which animals are used: these frameworks, far from allowing and encouraging knowledge of animal reality, are a vehicle for educating the disrespect of living beings, lead to the denial of pain messages, hinder development of empathy, which is a fundamental moment of formation and development, as they seek an irreconcilable, fun and happy response to pain, discomfort, injustice “.
Aren’t these arguments convincing you?
Well, then let’s talk about what will definitely attract the attention of the Italian citizen.
Italy finances animal circuses with public money.
The Circus Act of 1968 (Act No. 337) recognizes a “social function” for circus companies, and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Ertain sponsors animal circuses.
This law has never been updated regarding the use of animals and it is unbelievable that in the succession of the Ministers of Culture (Franceschini-Bonisoli-Franceschini) they managed to repeal the law on the live entertainment delegation, which also contained the use of excess animals in circuses.
On March 26, Culture Minister Dario Francescini announced an additional 11m euros in funding from the Emergency Fund to Traveling Entertainment and Circus. This amount is in addition to the aid already received by the category from March 2020 until today, a total of 26 million euros.
Italy, which forces about 2,000 animals to appear as puppets or circus acrobats, lags behind the 27 countries that – in Europe and around the world – have already said “NO” to this harsh and anachronistic practice.
The animals of the circus are completely denatured:
Ions lions and elephants in nature create complex social relationships, which are canceled out in the circus.
Tigers are solitary animals: in the circus they are forced to live in a few square meters (in nature their territory can extend even for hundreds of square kilometers).
Or the conditions of detention in circuses are very bad, as they include cages that are too small, poor or unhygienic, little light and frequent movements over long distances.
. Animals are forced to perform the same movements in very small spaces.
Ελέ Elephants are generally immobilized by two short metal chains tied to their legs: they stop in small boxes in the middle of their feces, spend the day shaking their heads obsessively, the only possible movement.
Or to make the elephants stand on their hind legs, a hot iron is placed under their necks.
Αι felines lodge their teeth and their nails are extracted to make them harmless.
Or to bend their will before training, the tigers spread on the ground, with their legs tightly tied and beaten with sticks until they realize that any reaction is useless.
Among the training methods is also the deprivation of water and food.
Some animals never learn, their will can not bend, so they die from their wounds or just from hunger, because they are so desperate and resigned that they refuse to eat. Ither the animal enjoys man or dies.
Animals do not dress in tutus and hats, do not bow to people, do not play
jumping in fire circles, nor performing dangerous stunts.
THAT’S WHY THE CIRCUS DOES NOT LIKE ANIMALS. AND NOT TO US.
Bibliographic sources: LAV and ENPA.
Note
1 https://www.lav.it/cpanelav/js/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/files/FVE_Posizione%20ufficiale_VS%20ITALIANO.pdf
2 https://www.lav.it/cpanelav/js/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/files/DichiarazioneBisogniEtologici%20lm_ITA.pdf
3 https://www.lav.it/cpanelav/js/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/files/Documento%20di%20psicologi.pdf
