THE BALLOON MAN

Pictures of caged circus dogs on Facebook 
by Duncan Barry
from:  independent.com.mt
31 October 2012
The idea of a circus featuring animals as being a fun-loving, educational experience, as the circus industry depicts it to be, was thrown into doubt yesterday as images of animals stuck in tiny transportation pens began doing the rounds on Facebook.

The photographs showed at least six dogs and goats locked in a cage at the Naxxar Trade Fair parking lot, among other images. They belong to Circo Fantasy, brought over by Circus Events Ltd, and only demonstrate inhumane care.

Silvio Zammit, who recently tendered his resignation as a Sliema councillor, is behind Circus Events Ltd.

A staff reporter and photographer of this newspaper visited the trade fair grounds after having reviewed the images, only to find that the circus was about to leave for Gozo to continue with its performances there.

Many a time, animal rights protestors have expressed outrage at the way circus animals are treated.

A site petitioning to ban animal circuses in Malta has compiled just under 3,000 signatures – as reported by this newspaper in Monday’s edition.

Back in 2009, animal welfare activists held a protest outside Circo Fantasy in Blata l-Bajda, hours after the circus instituted libel action against the education authorities and television personality and animal activist Moira Delia for implying that the circus was cruel to animals.

The suit against Ms Delia was filed over claims she made on the radio and on PBS, on December 8, 2009, during which she said circuses were cruel to animals. The allegations had a negative impact on the circus’ reputation and the circus held her liable for the damages suffered.

Meanwhile, Naxxar residents originally petitioned against the location of the circus, which was to be situated in a field bordering St Paul Street, a main road, close to the old trade fair grounds. As a result, the local council requested the circus moves to the parking lot in front of the former trade fair. Furthermore, the council said that the organisers would also be cleaning the place daily and if this was not done, it reserved the right to issue default notices against the organisers. However, the images seem to show otherwise.