Brazil takes a step closer to a full ban on animals in
circuses
PRESS RELEASE - 18 November 2009
Progress towards a Brazilian ban on animals in
travelling circuses took another step forward today as Bill No. 7291 was passed
in the Commission for Constitution, Justice and Citizenship of the Brazilian
Chamber of Deputies. Animal Defenders International (ADI) welcomes the law's
progress which entered the Commission in August 2009.
Deputy Ricardo
Tripoli, who championed the law, defended its conformity with the Brazilian
Constitution. He argued that circuses are cruel to animals and that, in fact,
the use of animals is even contrary to the Constitution. ADI applauds the
members of the Commission for Constitution, Justice and Citizenship for its
unanimous vote in favour of Mr. Ricardo Tripoli's report.
ADI has been
lobbying hard at all stages of the process as part of the Stop Circus Suffering
campaign in Brazil. The bill proposes a ban on the use of both wild and domestic
animals in circus shows, and has now gone through all the relevant commissions
in the Chamber of Deputies. It can now progress to the Plenary vote, before
returning to the Senate.
ADI has studied the use of animals in travelling
circuses for many years; and have compiled a wealth of evidence, film footage
and photographs, taken by undercover officers worldwide for its global 'Stop
Circus Suffering' campaign. These investigations have shown that that the
travelling and temporary nature of a circus means that even with the best will
in the world, circuses cannot provide animals with adequate facilities to keep
them physically or psychologically healthy. Welfare is always compromised.
ADI's Stop Circus Suffering Campaign Brazil was launched in 2008 in
conjunction with Brazilian animal protection groups and with the backing of
cruelty-free cosmetics company Surya.
Earlier this year, Bolivia banned
the use of all animals in circuses, and a similar debate is currently being held
in the Peruvian Congress, soon to be discussed in the full parliament.
Helder Constantino, ADI Head of Parliamentary Affairs, said: "We are delighted
that this law is continuing to progress through the Brazilian Parliament. A ban
in Brazil would have a huge impact on the circus industry in South America and
would be the largest ever loss of territory to the circus industry. We are now
calling on the members of the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies to act
decisively to ban all animals in travelling circuses in Brazil."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ends
NOTES FOR EDITORS
For further information, contact:
Amanda Gent, ADI Press Office, Tel: 020 7630 3340, Mob: 07785 552548
Email:
prdesk@ad-international.org
About Animal Defenders International:
Animal Defenders International exists to educate, create awareness and alleviate
the suffering of animals and works to protect wildlife and the environment
through offices in London, San Francisco and Bogota.
The ADI Stop Circus
Suffering campaign has now been launched throughout Europe, South America and
the USA. Recently, the campaign secured a ban on the use of all animals in
travelling circuses in Bolivia, with similar measures currently before the
parliaments of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Measures on the prohibition of
certain species, such as wild animals, are currently being considered in the UK
and Norway.
www.ad-international.org
For all media enquiries
contact: prdesk@ad-international.org Media only, please
To make a donation:
info@ad-international.org or online
http://www.ad-international.org/take_action/donate.php
For campaign
information: info@ad-international.org
For employment opportunities:
execassist@ad-international.org
For volunteer enquiries:
execassist@ad-international.org
For Intern enquiries:
intern@ad-international.org
General enquiries: info@ad-international.org
