We must fight to ban circus animals

By jdoffman

LAST August the Mercury featured a 'Call for Boycott of Circuses with Animals' (August 28), urging families to stay away from Jolly's Circus near Chasetown.

Posters for this circus have recently been posted in Lichfield, ie the former Kwiksave or given to shops to display. Many of the shop managers may be unaware of the poor welfare suffered by circus animals,.

To the local council's credit, animal circuses have been banned for many years, but privately owned fields and farm land are subject to different criteria or regulations.

It is worth recalling the RSPCA's officer, Lucy Hayreh in last year's Mercury article stating her relief that 'Ming' the bear was dead and out of 23 years of misery.

Also, note the offensive remark of Peter Jolly Snr (Halifax Courier) about council estate tenants only able to see bears in circuses, because they couldn't afford to see them on a trip to Canada.

The latest Animal Defenders journal has an article highlighting the continuing plight of circus elephants etc (www.ad.internationl.org, www.navs.org.uk, National Antivivisection Society and Animal Defenders International). This article states that over 80 per cent of the British public support a ban on wild animal acts.

Lorna A Bushell, Lichfield.