Layish, born in a circus, soon to be free in Africa
From three square metres of living space to the vastness of a living land. On 28 April, Layish’s fate will change. In partnership with Tonga Terre d’Accueil, we are organising his transfer to South Africa to a sanctuary where he will live in semi-freedom, surrounded by his own kind and closely monitored.
Far from whips and bars, Layish will be free from degrading performances for good. He will finally be able to become the free being, guided by instinct, that he should always have been.
He was born on 18 February 2021 and spent the early years of his life at the Claudio Zavatta Circus. Like so many others, his fate was predetermined: captivity, breeding, training. Layish spent his early years in a trailer. Three square metres of metal to grow up in, to pace back and forth, to waste away.
Deprived of everything, Layish sank into deep distress. Out of sheer boredom, he even self-harmed. When we met him, his skin was raw, his fur torn out by compulsive licking. These injuries are typical of serious ‘stereotyped’ behaviours, revealing his extreme distress.
A slow recovery
In July 2024, Layish was abandoned by his trainers at our partner shelter ‘Le Repère’. Faced with this emergency, we acted immediately, covering veterinary costs, funding his accommodation, and creating a secure enclosure. Then, to give him every chance of recovery, we transferred him to Tonga Terre d’Accueil. Little by little, he was able to rebuild himself, heal his trauma and regain confidence.
Circuses funded, sanctuaries abandoned
Layish is no exception. Like Jon, he is a reflection of the hundreds of wild animals and other creatures still locked away and forgotten in the big tops. Their presence in travelling circuses was supposed to end by 2028. Yet this commitment remains an empty promise. Thus, since 2023, their breeding has been banned. In reality, no penalties are in place for breaches, and births continue in complete illegality. And whilst circuses remain supported and funded by the State, the sanctuaries, for their part, are sorely lacking in resources to take in the victims.
At the dawn of a new life
On 28 April, Layish will leave Europe to return to the land of his ancestors. At SanWild Sanctuary in South Africa, he will no longer be an object of spectacle, he will no longer be locked in a metal cage, and he will no longer have to disappear behind an unnatural role. In this wild environment, dotted with vast grasslands and waterholes, he will be able to go exploring, bond with his fellow lions, feel the wind and the sun. Start his life anew. Be a lion, at last.
Layish, born in a circus, soon to be free in Africa
Born in a cage and later abandoned, the lion Layish is about to return to the land of his ancestors. He is set to travel to South Africa on 28 April.
Des cirques financés, des refuges abandonnés
Layish n’est pas une exception. Comme Jon, il est un miroir des centaines de fauves et d’animaux encore enfermés et oubliés dans les chapiteaux. Leur présence dans les cirques itinérants devait prendre fin d’ici 2028. Or, cet engagement reste lettre morte. Ainsi, depuis 2023, leur reproduction est interdite. Dans les faits, aucune sanction n’est prévue en cas d’infraction et les naissances continuent dans l’illégalité la plus totale. Et pendant que les cirques demeurent soutenus et financés par l’État, les refuges, eux, manquent cruellement de moyens pour accueillir les victimes.
À l’aube d’une nouvelle vie
Le 28 avril, Layish quittera l’Europe pour rejoindre la terre de ses ancêtres. À SanWild Sanctuary, en Afrique du Sud, il ne sera plus un objet de spectacle, il ne sera plus enfermé dans une cage de métal, il n’aura plus à disparaître derrière un rôle contre nature. Dans cet environnement sauvage, ponctué de vastes étendues herbeuses et de points d’eau, il pourra partir en exploration, nouer des liens avec ses congénères, sentir le vent et le soleil. Commencer sa vie. Être un lion, enfin.