MPs To Vote On Circus Wild Animal Ban

MPs will vote later today on whether to ban the use of wild animals in circuses. The backbench debate has been called by Conservative MP Mark Pritchard and has cross-party support from from Lib Dem and Labour MPs, including West Yorkshire's Mary Creagh.

Labour's Shadow Environment Secretary has spearheaded a campaign to remove non-domestic creatures from circuses. It has received backing from celebrities like Ricky Gervais and Brian Blessed. She believes that animals such as zebras and camels are not meant to perform.

"To have them sitting in a damp field in a corner of Britain or jumping through hoops for people's entertainment is not acceptable in the twenty-first century," she said.

Circus Mondao, one of the last travelling circuses in Britain to use wild animals, is opposed to the move. Ringmistress Petra Jackson insisted their animals are not exploited or subjected to cruelty.

"Our animals are kept in the correct manner, trained in the correct manner and transported in the correct manner.

"We get inspected on a regular basis by local animal officers and government vets and they have never found anything wrong with what we do," she said.

Government ministers said they would rather strengthen the existing Animal Welfare Act than implement a total ban.

If the motion is passed a ban will not become law but put extra pressure on the government to act.
MPs will debate the motion this afternoon and the vote will be held tonight.