Animal welfare group the SPCA is to write to the Minister of Environment to raise concerns over animals being brought to the Island purely for entertainment reasons.
Chairman and veterinary surgeon Dr. Andrew Madeiros said the group had met and decided it would not support any future animals coming to Bermuda for circuses, and the like.
Animal welfare group the SPCA is to write to the Minister of Environment to raise concerns over animals being brought to the Island purely for entertainment reasons.
Chairman and veterinary surgeon Dr. Andrew Madeiros said the group had met and decided it would not support any future animals coming to Bermuda for circuses, and the like.
He said although the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) did not actively support the Tarzan Zerbini Circus coming to the Island this week, it did not officially make its feelings known to the Ministry of the Environment, which issued the permits, beforehand.
But he said, it was time for the SPCA to speak out and put its opinions on record.
He said the SPCA would not be calling for a blanket ban on all animals being brought to the Island because it did not want to close the door on experts who wished to bring animals for educational reasons, such as endangered species.
Dr. Madeiros said the group would also be doing a lot of research into the regulatory bodies set up around the world which set standards for animal treatment and care.
He said it was time the SPCA became more aware of how the regulations were decided, and exactly who was behind them.
The move follows concern raised this week over the Tarzan Zerbini Circus, and in particular the three Asian elephants, one white tiger and four dogs it brought to the Island as part of its show.
Although all of the animals were inspected and found to be in very good condition, claims have been made that caging animals and using them outside of their natural habitat and instincts is simple cruelty.
“We have decided to write to the Minister at the Department of the Environment stating that we will not support this type of event in the future,” said Dr. Madeiros.
“Not that we really supported it this time, because we didn’t.
“We don’t feel that in this day and age it is appropriate. We don’t see circuses as educational events, they are purely entertainment. This circus would have got as many people along if it had just had really good human acts. It would also have cost them half the money it did to get the circus here.”
Dr. Madeiros said the issue was educating people to understand why using any animal for entertainment was cruel, and said keeping animals outside of its natural habitat for commercial reasons was not right.
But he also said the SPCA had to educate itself better.
He added: “We want to do some research about standards overseas. A lot of people will write off and say they surpass current standards of this agency and that one, but then we might find out that its an agency set up by a particular group, for example circuses.
“We want to look at the different ways they are all regulated and controlled. We want to become better acquainted with a lot more agencies, basically.
“The research will certainly be handy to have for future reference.”
By Karen Smith The Royal Gazette