THE BALLOON MAN

Council ban Animal Circuses in North Ayrshire
 by Ross Dunn, Irvine Herald
from---iirvineherald.co.uk
Oct 5 2012
North Ayrshire Council have made the landmark decision to ban animal circuses from council land.

Members of the council supported a motion by Councillor Irene Oldfather - former MSP a long-term advocate of animal welfare - to ban travelling circuses with animals from council land.

Councillor Oldfather had the motion approved at a recent council meeting and was overwhelmingly supported by her fellow councillors.

The councillor questioned the value of animal circuses for education, conservation or entertainment, considering that there are so many alternative opportunities to see animals in their natural environmt.

NAC is now the third council this year to introduce such a policy, one that could see the likes of Bobby Roberts’ Super Circus being shut out of North Ayrshire for good.

Over half of Scottish councils now enforce a similar ban against travelling circuses, with wild, or in some cases, any animal from their land.

Bobby Roberts’ Super Circus made three stops to North Ayrshire this summer, with two of them taking place on council land.

The owners of Bobby Roberts’ Circus, Bobby and Moira Roberts, face trial in November 2012 accused of causing their 58-year-old elephant unnecessary suffering.

The pair deny the charges.

● Turn to page 8 to read what Dreghorn locals thought about North Ayrshire Council’s decision to ban animal circuses from council land.
to read more go to:
http://www.irvineherald.co.uk/ayrshire-news/local-news-ayrshire/local-news-irvine/2012/10/05/council-ban-animal-circuses-in-north-ayrshire-75485-31957283/