FOLLOWING a renewed call from a Limerick animal protection group for animal circus acts to be banned on public land, City West councillor Daniel Butler has pledged his full support to the move.
A recent incident in Fermoy where a camel ran out onto a main road after breaking free at Courtney Brothers Circus, prompted John Carmody, Limerick founder of the Animal Right Action Network (ARAN), to repeat his call for a ban on animal circus acts.
“What is it going to take to put an end to the suffering animals are enduring in Irish circuses?” asks Mr Carmody.
“There’s no Code of Practice or regulations that will stop this suffering and make everything OK with circuses that use animals here in Ireland. Nothing but an outright ban will stop this suffering. Maybe it’ll take someone losing their life before the Government take action, it might be the only thing that will force them to take such measures,” he fumed.
However, this week Mr Carmody’s pleas got a response from Cllr Daniel Butler who called on the Council to table a motion banning animal act circuses from Limerick at the next metropolitan area meeting.
“I am awaiting confirmation from the county secretary that it is legally possible and if indeed my motion will be accepted at the next metropolitan area meeting,” Cllr Butler told the Limerick Post.
“I am totally opposed to this cruel act of keeping wild animals in cruel and confined spaces far from their natural environment and support ARAN in their campaign against this cruel and unnecessary practice,” he commented.
ARAN is due to release fresh footage in the next week of camels and tigers suffering from stereotypical behaviour at circus’ along with refuse being burned within feet of horse and tiger enclosures. Councils in South Dublin, Drogheda, Mongahan, Wicklow, Arklow, Waterford and Clonakilty have already taken the bold step of banning any circus using animals.
