FROM CANADA---

13/05/10
Controversial circus featuring animals coming to Springdale

BY BILLY CANNING The Nor'wester
A controversial circus is coming to town.
Cirque Estival, a Quebec-based circus featuring animals has been on the radar of animal activists through out the province since their touring schedule was released. The activists have been requesting town councils to ban the circus.
One of those activists is Carol Baird, shelter manager of the Exploits Valley SPCA.
In February, Ms. Baird, Exploits Valley SPCA president Sheila Baird and member Scott Keats presented their case to Grand Falls-Windsor town council why they should ban the circus.
Following the presentation, council decided not to grant a licence for Cirque Estival to operate in the town this year.
While that crusade worked out, 14 communities in the province are permitting the show to go ahead, including Springdale.
"The main issues are the training of animals, the travel schedule, transportation and the total confinement of the animals," she said. "Once they're captured it's the end of their free life.
"We're not saying the circus mistreats their animals, or they don't water and feed them, but even if they give them five meals a day, our issues still stand."
She said the training practices have to be aggressive because they are wild animals.
"Those animals right away have to fear their handler, if not, they kill them," she said. "The handler has to have control."
Training practices are not the only issue Ms. Baird has with the circus.
She said the long travelling schedule and constant confinement of the animals is inhumane.
"They're constantly chained (and) constantly in containers," she said. "You put any animal in a cage for a long time - it's cruel."
Ms. Baird has been working in the field for a long time, and said animals that are confined or chained on for long periods of time develop behavioural problems. Such problems have been reported in media in the past when circus animals attack their trainers, which is a public safety risk.
She said it's unfair that animals are taken from their natural habitat and species at such a young age for entertainment purposes.
Clarenville, St. John's and Mount Pearl have banned circuses with live animals. Marystown recently passed a bylaw banning the use of animals for human entertainment. However, the circus will make its last appearance in that town this year, unless it stops using animals.
Louise Leonard, owner of Cirque Estival, told Transcontinental Media that he runs a legal business and doesn't like the allegations.
"I am being treated badly as if I'm not a good person. I have never been accused of ill-treatment to animals and I've never been in a court of law regarding the ill-treatment of animals," he told Transcontinental Media.
"We don't go around beating our animals. Perhaps in the past somebody had a bad experience in (Newfoundland), but I don't feel that I should have to pay for all the harm done to society or animals in the world," he said. "I invite people to come and see how we treat our animals. What I say to people is make up your mind, but look at both sides of the coin."
And people will have that opportunity when the show comes to town June 21 at the Springdale Stadium.
Ms. Baird said the only way to put an end to the show, is for all levels of government to step up to the plate and pass legislation that would stop animals from being used in circuses, and for people to end the demand.
"Nothing they do on the stage is natural, it's all forced," she said.
Springdale Mayor Harvey Tizzard could not be reached for an interview.