Stop the McLaren Circus from touring Namibia!
By Monique Redecker representing the Namibian advocates for the banning of animal circuses.
Please put Namibia on the global map as the first African country to ban animal circuses. Let Namibia lead Africa on this contentious and crucial issue.
The majority of first-world countries have already implemented the banning and/or restriction of animal circuses. A total of 53 countries have put their foot down to ban or restrict animal circuses.
We are writing in our capacity as advocates for the rights of animals and supporters of the campaign to ban animal circuses in Namibia. Thousands of concerned Namibians would like to reiterate their strong opposition to the inherently cruel animal entertainment industry. It is vital that all Namibians are made aware of and are educated on the issue.
Animals are condemned to a life of exploitation and torture parading as entertainment in circuses such as the McLaren Circus.
- It is an inherently cruel and abusive industry.
- No animal, even more so wild animals, should be exploited for money by being forced to do tricks with the use of whips, chains and ropes.
- No animal should live in a cage for the majority of his or her life.
- No animal should travel for thousands of kilometres, day after day, in all types of weather, to be exploited for money. It is inhumane.
- Animals in circuses do not have educational value – it is blatant exploitation.
- Animals in circuses teach people, especially our youth, exactly how wild life should NOT be treated and how they should NOT live.
- It is not educational – it is torture.
- If an animal can not be released back into the wild for any reason, that animal should be sent to a sanctuary – not a circus.
Awareness of the illegal and unethical treatment of animals in circuses by civil society and judiciaries ruling in favour of the rehabilitation of circus animals is spreading globally.
Many circuses have voluntarily released their animals to be rehabilitated after recognising the futility of keeping them for monetary gain. Moreover, circuses can be successful without featuring animals. Cirque de Soleil is an excellent example this.
However, the cruel practice of torturing animals for human entertainment continues, especially in Africa. Why should African countries be last to realise the truth and act accordingly?
Let us be proudly Namibian and be Africa’s leader in the banning of the torture and inhumane treatment of our precious wildlife.
Please realise the potentially negative impact on our tourism industry due to the continued use of animals in circuses. Please familiarise yourself with the plea of thousands of Namibians fighting against the McLaren Circus visiting Namibia on social media.
Historically, circuses were created for the purposes of the public seeing these animals. In the current, more global culture, and particularly in Africa, it is possible to see animals in their natural habitat. Furthermore, technology has made it possible to see animals, also within their natural habitat, in the comfort of your own home in well-shot documentary programmes.
There is simply NO need for animals to be in captivity for the privilege of the public. This is perverse entertainment and completely inhumane and unnecessary.
With regards to the so called “educational” element: What is possibly educational about wild animals in a completely unnatural environment, forced to act completely unnaturally for the benefit of entertainment?
Rejecting the McLaren Circus and all other animal circuses coming to Namibia would serve as a great advertisement for the Namibian tourism industry in its international markets.
MAKE NAMIBIA PROUD – LET NAMIBIA BE THE FIRST AFRICAN COUNTRY TO BAN ANIMAL CIRCUSES!
Our Pledge:
We as the thousands of concerned Namibians , commit and make a pledge that if the Honourable Minister and Mr. Nghitila decline the permits to the Mclaren Circus coming to Namibia and all other animal circuses, we will spread the word globally on social media and to all the animal rights organizations, not only to put Namibia on the international map in a positive light but to also spread the word of how proud we are as Namibians that our government made Namibia the first African country to ban animal circuses.
