We will defend the animals from the Franco-Belge Circus before the courts.

In September, many people who were concerned about the set-up of the Franco-Belge Circus in the car park of a business park in Strasbourg, in Bas-Rhin, warned us. The town council, who has opposed welcoming set-ups with animals for a long time, immediately brought forward a complaint, much like the manager of the Intersport shop whose car park the circus performers had occupied without any authorisation to be there.

A few weeks before, the trainer had called the association, threatening to take legal action if we did not take down the footage of its circus animals posted on social networks. Intimidation, as always.

Unacceptable living conditions

On site, the lion, lionesses, and tigers kept by the head trainer share a ‘relaxation’ area placed in full sunlight, even the tarmac. And never mind the tigers by the way, who are solitary animals who do not share territory with lions in the wild, since they do not even live on the same continent. To make yet more profit off their backs, circus performers force them to cohabit in this ridiculous space. When they are not there, they are left languishing in dingy lorries that transport them from town to town or they are subjected to being hit by the trainer to subdue them. Wherever they are, they cannot escape being watched by humans, boredom, and the impossibility to run and jump. Why are we surprised, in such circumstances, about the incessant pacing of the lionesses grappling with their angst?

A bit further away, goats and horses are not entitled to any more respect. There, a dog is chained to a fence, its neck raw from pulling on the lead...

Problems that we have been reporting on for a long time

Already in March 2020, two camels collapsed in the middle of the show when they were forced to do laps. In the cages that keep them prisoner, the tigers and the lions have been showing the full extent of their suffering for a long time.

On 26 September, we also brought a complaint against the establishment belonging to the brother of the owner of the Zavatta-Muller Circus who, among others, keeps Jumbo.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice