CIRCUSES that have exotic animals should be outlawed from Gateway Island, a Wodonga councillor believes.
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Kat Bennett will tonight seek a report “investigating a future ban on circuses and carnivals, that include exotic animals, on council-owned land”.
Her motion to the Wodonga Council meeting is based on what she describes as “growing local community concern about the use of exotic animals used as entertainment in circuses”.
“Exotic animals in circuses are routinely subjected to months on the road confined in cages,” Cr Bennett states.
“As circuses play no meaningful role in education or conservation, the confinement of exotic animals in circuses continues only for the sake of entertainment.
“There are only two circuses left in Australia that use exotic animals.
“Council placing a ban on circuses that use exotic animals, on council-owned land, does in no way limit other circuses from visiting Wodonga, and operating on council-owned land.”
Cr Bennett said other councils had such bans and suggested legal requirements “primarily only protect animals against acts of cruelty rather than ensuring circus animals have sound welfare”.
Her move coincides with Lennon Bros Circus, which has performing lions, holding shows at Gateway Island.
Lennon Bros on-site manager Warren Lennon accused Cr Bennett of failing to properly study welfare requirements.
“We have to have veterinarian checks three to four times a year and as soon as we feel there is any issue we’ll call the vet,” Mr Lennon said.
“We abide by all regulations and our exercise yards are bigger than what’s recommended.
“Our lions they’re out from seven in the morning to eight at night in their exercise yard, the only time they’re in is at night, just before the commencement of the show or if there’s bad weather.”
Mr Lennon said if a ban was enacted in Wodonga on council land, the circus would still come and use private land in the city or set up in Albury.
He added the lions were a big drawcard for Border patrons.
“I would say about 80 per cent of people have enquired on their phone call, when they’ve rung up to book tickets ‘have you got lions?’,” Mr Lennon said.
Jindera couple Therese and Suryan Chandrasegaran took their children yesterday to specifically see the lions.
Mrs Chandrasegaran compared the circus creatures to those housed in zoos that are well cared for and said they lived longer in captivity than the wild.
Her husband said a ban was an over-reaction with the animals bringing “joy to children”.