ePetition details

Ban Animal Circuses in Sheffield

We the undersigned petition the council to Ban Animal Circuses in Sheffield. Zippos Circus is one of a minority of touring circuses in the UK to still use animals as part of their shows. We believe the practice of using animals in circuses is unethical, outdated and unnecessary and urge Sheffield City Council to ban all animal circuses.

Touring circuses may cover thousands of miles a year and moving location on a weekly basis means circus animals spend most of the year in temporary accommodation. The animals may be confined for hours, even days, in their travelling cages, with their only respite being either limited time in an exercise cage, being rehearsed, or performing. It is impossible for a travelling circus to provide animals with the facilities they need. The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA) is against the use of animals in circuses. This is what they have to say about the matter on their website:

“We don't believe animals should be subjected to the conditions of circus life. Regular transport, cramped and bare temporary housing, forced training and performance, loud noises and crowds of people are often unavoidable realities for the animals.”

In addition to the RSPCA, Animal Defenders International (ADI) have spoken out about cruelty in animal circuses; their research over years of campaigning shows that behaviours demonstrated in all circus animal species are clear indicators that animals cannot cope with the circus environment and are suffering as a result.

Zippos Circus have a terrible reputation when it comes to animal welfare; their current ‘artistic director’, David Hibling, was once a defence witness for Mary Chipperfield, the disgraced circus entertainer who in 1999 was convicted of 12 counts of animal cruelty towards an 18 month-old chimpanzee named Trudy, namely viciously beating her with a riding crop. Footage of this horrific cruelty can be seen on YouTube. When asked if he saw “anything which would constitute cruelty?” he replied unequivocally “No”. When asked “Would you do what Mary Chipperfield did?” David Hibling said “Yes”. Finally, most alarmingly, when asked “Is thrashing a chimp with a riding crop acceptable?” Hibling replied “In certain circumstances, yes”. Employing someone with such a poor track record on animal welfare issues doesn’t inspire much confidence in Zippos Circus’ treatment of animals.

A survey carried out by Animal Defenders International concluded many local authorities in the UK have already banned circuses that use any animals and another recent UK survey found that 65% of people agree that all animal circus acts should be banned.

Sign and share this petition to help ban animal circuses in Sheffield now!

Started by: Alex Hinchcliffe (Sheffield Animal Action)

This ePetition ran from 30/04/2018 to 11/06/2018 and has now finished.

201 people signed this ePetition.