Big cats in cages: Press Release
Having set up in mid-April without permission on private land in Melun, the Hartini-Muller Circus is the subject of an eviction order supported by the town council and the owner of the land. Alerted to the situation, the organisation One Voice conducted an on-site investigation and filed a complaint with the District Court of Melun, denouncing the animals’ conditions of confinement as contrary to regulations.
The Hartini-Muller Circus set up without prior authorisation on a plot of land in the Champ de Foire area, between a commercial zone and a car park. The City of Melun immediately mobilised its services to carry out an official inspection in the presence of government representatives. Since 2020, the town council has taken a stance against hosting circuses with animals within its territory.
A complaint was filed by the landowner, and the town council has initiated proceedings to secure an emergency eviction.
Alarming conditions observed on site
Sent to the site, an investigator from One Voice observed several animals being kept in severely abusive conditions. In particular, four big cats – two lions and two tigers – were pacing round and round in their cramped trailers, as well as chickens crammed into a tiny cage, a dog pacing between four fences, three ponies, a goat, a horse and a llama kept on the tarmac without any bedding. The lions, tigers and dog all display stereotypical behaviour with repetitive actions that betray their deep distress.
>> video link: CIRQUE HARTINI 1–16 APRIL 2026 | Videos & films on Vimeo
Furthermore, the big cats are reportedly not taking part in the show and are being presented to the public in their cages, which raises questions about the compliance of their captivity with current regulations. According to the law, their captivity is conditional upon their participation in the acts.
On the basis of these facts, One Voice has filed a complaint against the Hartini-Muller Circus with the District Court of Melun.
Same family, same practices
Cousins of the Muller Circus – the very same circus that keeps the hippopotamus Jumbo for whom our association has been fighting for decades – the Hartini-Muller family moves from place to place without staying long in any one spot and without giving advance notice of their arrival. This hypermobility is, of course, strategic: it complicates inspections and hinders interventions, despite repeated reports.
These methods, which follow a clear logic of evasion, are by no means exceptional: they are the norm in a sector that operates with complete impunity. Far from putting a stop to this, the State continues to fund and support them through subsidies, indirect aid and administrative leniency.
Behind every failure on the part of the authorities, there are captive animals of endangered species, silenced and forced to pay the price for this inaction. Animals are not objects of entertainment. Our association invites the public to sign our petition to end the use of animals in circuses.
Big cats in cages: Press Release
Big cats in cages, laws flouted: the Hartini-Muller Circus running wild in Melun