Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses
This consultation sought your views on a proposed licensing scheme that would promote and safeguard the welfare of wild animals in travelling circuses in England.
This consultation sought your views on a proposed licensing scheme that would promote and safeguard the welfare of wild animals in travelling circuses in England. Under the proposals, operators of a travelling circus that failed to safeguard the welfare of their animals would face enforcement action.
The licensing scheme would be introduced by regulations made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The regulations will require standards of animal welfare to be met. The welfare standards would be set as licence conditions. A licence condition is something that must be met by the holder of the licence. Enforcement action could arise from a person’s failure to hold a valid licence where one is required, or failure to comply with a licence condition where a licence is held. Possible enforcement action includes criminal prosecution and the suspension of licences.
Please note that this consultation did not seek views on a ban on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses.**
Summary of responses (including Government response)This consultation has closed. We are grateful for the comments received. A summary of the responses we received (which includes the Government response) has now been published (see “downloads”, below).
Further information