10/19/05 Request for Ban of Circus Performances With Animal Acts in the City of Zagreb
CITY OF ZAGREB
MAYOR'S OFFICE
Mr. Milan Bandic
Stjepan Radic Square 1
10000 Zagreb
October 19, 2005
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR BAN OF CIRCUS PERFORMANCES WITH ANIMAL ACTS IN THE CITY OF ZAGREB
Dear Mr. Bandic,
We have decided to contact you regarding to several circuses with animal acts that are on tour in Croatia. We would like to draw your attention to the cruelty and inhumane conditions that circus animals are subjected to and request the legal ban of such circuses in Croatia, which has been achieved in various other countries.
We are appealing to the City of Zagreb to follow the example of Mursko Sredisce, which made its place in history as the first Croatian town that has joined Venice, Vienna, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, and many others throughout the world in banning tours of circuses with animal acts on their own account.
The reason for this prohibition is the terrific cruelty circuses apply to animals trained, transported, and kept for the circus acts.
There are presently no laws that would regulate the treatment of circus animals, the conditions in which they are kept and transported, nor the acts they are forced to perform. These animals are subjected to traveling, enduring various climatic conditions, performing acts and being kept in confinement. Apart from physical torture during their training, they are under stress due to being snatched away from their natural environment and forced into the world of "entertainment," which for them is merely a world of permanent imprisonment and performing of senseless acts. The performing animals are unfortunate victims of human manipulation, since those who profit from exploiting them ignore their physical, social, and other needs.
Circus animals are kept for most of their lives in chains or constrained in small spaces, such as the transportation vehicles. They are deprived of food and water in order to avoid mess. Chained, imprisoned, lost, and often kept under sedatives, they spend 90% of their time waiting for their training or performance. Whips, electric poles, and other "tools" are often used in order to force animals to do their acts.
Circus acts and other types of performances with animals cannot be called preservation of species or education. They are no entertainment either, since it cannot be fun to watch another living being suffer while performing senseless movements because it is subjected to painful blows and other types of torture.
After Mursko Sredisce, which has made its history as the first Croatian town that banned circuses with animal acts, we believe that Zagreb should follow its example as the capital of Croatia.
The ethical awareness of the citizens of Zagreb regarding animal suffering in circuses is constantly increasing, which should have an impact on the decisions of the mayor and the municipal authorities, who are supposed to act upon the wishes of their citizens and take care about the reputation of the city of Zagreb.
Therefore, we request that the municipal authorities should prohibit the touring of all circuses with animal acts on the territory of Zagreb as soon as possible in order to set example for other Croatian towns in joining the numerous cities of the world where circuses with animal acts are unwelcome.
On behalf of Animal Friends,
Yours sincerely
Luka Oman
President
