Open Letter on the Occasion of 'World Circus Day'

OPEN LETTER ON THE OCCASION OF ‘WORLD CIRCUS DAY’

Attn: Representatives of the Flemish, Walloon and Brussels Parliaments Candidate Representatives for the Flemish, Walloon and Brussels Parliaments

Brussels, 18 April 2014 Dear Ms Representative, Dear Mr Representative, Dear Madam, Dear Sir,

Re: Animal Welfare/Circus Animals; Regional competence as from 1 July 2014.

On the occasion of ‘World Circus Day’ (19 April), the Belgian Circus sector and the European Circus Association (ECA) would like to adopt an official position on Belgium’s ban on keeping wild animals in circuses and the transfer of competence for Animal Welfare from the Federal Government to the Governments of Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels.

Within the scope of an amendment to the law of 14 August 1986 on various provisions concerning animal welfare, the Belgian Federal Government, at the initiative of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Ms Laurette Onkelinx, submitted a draft law on 31 October 2013. This draft law was approved with astonishing speed by the Chamber of Representatives on 18 December 2013 (*) without any prior consultations having taken place with authorised representatives of the circus sector, while it later turned out that attention was given to the viewpoints of animal-rights activists…

An official letter from the ECA to Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo received even less interest. The same treatment was given to the appeal made by the undersigned to the various parties in the Senate to exercise their evocation right to examine the amendments on 20 January 2014.

Circuses were basically presented with a fait accompli. Serious and professional circus companies are clearly being lumped into the same category as rogue ‘pirate circuses’ that show little concern for laws or animal welfare...

In spite of the level of professional ethics shown by officially recognised circuses, they were punished by this amendment for no legitimate reason, even though animal welfare and wellbeing constitutes a top priority for them. No comprehensive analysis was made of circuses. Even less attention was paid to recent scientific research and studies on the behaviour and welfare of circus animals.

(*) The amendment under Article 4 §1. stipulates that “the keeping and the use of animals in circuses and travelling exhibitions is prohibited”. It goes on to state that (§2) “the King designates the list of domesticated animals which, in derogation of §1, may be kept and used in circuses and travelling exhibitions. He defines the conditions for protecting the welfare of these animals”.

European Circus Association (E.C.A.) c/o bvba ON STAGE EVENTS // PRCom sprl Waterloolaan 89 Boulevard de Waterloo • Brussel 1000 Bruxelles Tel. : +32 (0)2 514 43 53 • Fax : +32 (0)2 512 65 93 • GSM : +32 (0)475 62 36 50 e-mail : [email protected] • [email protected] Internet :www.europeancircus.info ING : 310 1230267 05 • RPM Bruxelles / RPR Brussel • BTW/TVA/VAT : BE 0477 824 176 IBAN: BE96 310 1230267 05 l BIC : B B R U B E B B

This has led to a general ban on the keeping and exhibition of wild animals in Belgium on the part of both local and international circuses and circus festivals.

We find this quite regrettable, for right here in Europe there are an estimated 200 elephants and 4,000 felines whose welfare is subject to ethical standards that the circus world is highly committed to upholding. Registration, care, hygiene, healthy diet and fodder, spacious areas in which to dwell and sleep, room to move, veterinary inspection, specialised transport, relaxation and rest periods: not a single one of these concerns is taken lightly. Quite the opposite, in fact. This also applies to the evolution of the animals in the ring and during training, which is based solely on movements that they would also make in a natural environment.

The individual characteristics of the animal take precedence and are respected at all times. The living conditions of circus animals, the care they are allotted and the respect with which they are treated by their caregivers and trainers stand in contrast to the harrowing conditions in which animals are recklessly slaughtered in Africa. In addition to the barbaric killing last year of an estimated 35,000 elephants, thousands of rhinoceroses and felines were also killed. Many of these species are threatened with extinction.

No irony is intended when I point out that the lifespan of circus animals is considerably longer than the one they could expect growing up in a natural environment. And elderly animals, for that matter, are not put down, and are instead treated with care and respect in suitable and expansive areas equipped with all of the amenities they need.

Ever since its founding, the ECA has been a proponent of effective and realistic regulations whereby licences are only awarded to circus companies that comply with strict rules governing the care, comfort, quality of life and general well-being of their animals. The major, officially recognised circuses signed a charter to this effect or had at that time already subjected themselves to the most rigorous standards via self-regulation. The owners and trainers of wild animals must also possess the necessary training, expertise and abilities to be allowed to work with them. Countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany have demonstrated that banning circus animals is not a solution, and they recognise the fact that animals can be exhibited in circuses with no problem, provided that the standards mentioned above are observed. It has even been scientifically proven that wild animals kept in circuses lead a better existence than those kept in most zoos.

Let me be clear that we are the first ones to condemn abuses. We therefore insist that those who fail to comply with the rules be booked and stripped of their right to handle animals in the future. The European Circus Association and the Belgian circus sector are taking a constructive stance on this issue. We are open to dialogue and to creating optimal conditions for the welfare of circus animals.

This is the only way that the traditional circus, with wild animals - which was recognised by resolution in 2005 as cultural heritage by an overwhelming majority of the European Parliament - will be able to survive.

It is for this reason, Mses and Messrs Representatives, that we invite you, in this regard and within the framework of the transfer of the ‘Animal Welfare’ competence, to enter into a dialogue with the circus sector and with our professional association - an opportunity never offered us at the federal level.

This will allow us to exchange views with you on this important aspect, which for generations has comprised the individuality and the identity of the traditional circus.

We remain available to provide you with more insights (if needed, by means of scientifically-based studies and with the recommendations of experts) into the functioning of circuses and the way in which they protect and guarantee the welfare and interests of all their animals via modern and specialised facilities. This clear and steady approach will hopefully give the Governments of Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels Region cause to enact a decree that explicitly defines animal welfare and which also ensures the continued presence of wild animals in circuses.

We look forward to your response and we thank you for your interest. We remain yours faithfully,

Christian Nolens Spokesperson for the Circus sector and member of the European Circus Association (E.C.A.)