The Netherlands has joined the list of European countries that have banned wild animals from their circuses.
In circuses, the animals often suffer mental and physical stress from being transported all the time and living in extremely small enclosures. There are also numerous accounts of abuse not to mention that the animals are forced into performing unnatural tricks.
The species that are banned from circuses include tigers, lions, bears, elephants and primates among others.
Source: Wikimedia
The new law will affect 16 of the 22 active circuses in the country, for a total of 119 wild animals.
The Dutch Ministry’s Secretary Sharon Dijksma said, ““The health of animals is more important than their use for parties or clinging to outdated traditions.”
The animal welfare group, Wilde Dieren de Tent Uit, campaigned for nine years to get the legislation through and has offered to help the circuses find permanent homes for the animals.
Hopefully, the trend towards regulating wild animals in circuses will be adopted in more countries in the near future.
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