Circus animals

Sir, It has been three years since the House of Commons voted unanimously in favour of banning wild animals in circuses, yet we are still waiting for the government to take decisive action. Today a backbench Bill from the Labour MP Jim Fitzpatrick attempts to deal with this issue.

A draft bill to ban wild animals in circuses has already been published and scrutinised by MPs, but it continues to gather dust on the shelves in Defra. Hidden from public view, the horrors of what circus life is really like for the animals have only come to light as a result of Animal Defenders International’s undercover investigations.

Instead of dragging its heels the government should support this bill and give MPs the opportunity to end the suffering of wild animals in circuses once and for all.