The One Voice association was questioned in a written forum by the National Union of Professional Veterinarians (SNVEL) published on February 8th, 2018 in la Dépêche Vétérinaire1 (The veterinarian dispatch).
It is thus stated that the purpose of the One Voice Association’s approach, by seeking the opinions of the national veterinary authorities on the issue of the presence of wild animals in travelling circuses, The SNVEL would be opposed to this type of objection.
In this regard, the SNVEL states that it does not share the view that the presence of wild animals in the shows would necessarily be associated with mistreatment.
It is clear from the reading of this communiqué, SNVEL voluntarily avoided answering the specific question posed to it by the One Voice association, which is the presence of wild animals in travelling shows.
As a group of veterinarians and thus of animal health professionals, the union can hardly go against the opinions expressed by its own European and national authorities, by the zoos themselves, or by independent scientific experts.
The association One Voice is also curious to know the scientific criteria on which the SNVEL has based its opinion relating to the adaptation of a wild animal to this itinerant spectacle. Professors Jo Dornin, Steven Harris and Heather Pickett portray the life of animals in circuses as “lives that are not worth living”.
More worryingly still, the SNVEL declares itself opposed to this group of individuals belonging to that of the wild species in their natural environment, because of the threat that this group would pose to the wild species. They don’t even question the harmful consequences that such unnatural exhibitions can have in terms of public awareness and education.
One Voice therefore urges SNVEL to assume the responsibilities incumbent upon it in this fight for the preservation of species and the cessation of all forms of violence on these sentient beings and to the common heritage of our planet.
1 « La brêve » - L’instantané N°41 du vendredi 9 Février 2018 de la Dépêche Vétérinaire
