04/25/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

CEREDIGION councillors were united in their decision that the use of wild animals in travelling circuses should be banned.

Welsh Government brought in legislation last year banning the use of wild animals in travelling circuses and Ceredigion’s enforcement team has the backing of councillors to make sure that does not happen here.

Members of the council’s healthier communities overview and scrutiny committee received a report on the legislation, which states there are two travelling circuses that regularly visit Wales that have wild animals such as reindeer, camels and zebra.

A public consultation to the legislation in 2018 had a 97 per cent support for the ban with the use of wild animals such as lions, tigers and elephants already decreased in popularity prior to this and considered “outdated.”

Cllr John Roberts said at committee on Monday (March 8) although he had fond memories of seeing unusual animals at the circus as a child “with education and as I’ve got older, we can all see how cruel we can be towards wild animals.”

Committee chairman Cllr Mark Strong added “it’s quite apparent that nobody disagrees with this,” and councillors approved a recommendation that public protection officers be authorised to use delegated powers to enforce the Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Act 2020.

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