Wild animals circus ban passes first vote

LEGISLATION to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses has passed an initial vote at the Scottish Parliament.

MSPs voted unanimously to back the general principles of the Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (Scotland) Bill which would make Scotland the first part of the UK to enact such a ban.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said using animals in this manner was “morally objectionable to the people of Scotland” and rejected concerns that the Bill, if passed, would lead to animal shows such as birds of prey displays and penguin parades becoming illegal.

She highlighted a 2014 public consultation in which 98 per cent of respondents backed a ban on wild animals being used in performances.

In a stage-one debate at Holyrood, she said: “Most people now consider it outdated and morally wrong to make wild animals perform tricks that they would not perform naturally or to display them in an unnatural environment simply to entertain the viewing public. This is animals as entertainment commodity rather than as sentient beings.” Tories and Labour both backed the proposals but raised concerns about the Bill’s definition of a wild animal and claimed there was currently no definition of what a circus is. Conservative MSP Donald Cameron said: “Strangely for a Bill all about circuses, the bill chooses not to define the word circus.”

He warned the legislation as it stands could risk criminalising events with animals that “have a good track record of animal welfare”, such as reindeer at Christmas markets.