People Power - Circus run out of town.

Witchie

The Belly Wien Circus was due to perform in Monaghan this weekend but due to a successful Facebook campaign and petition, they have now left town.

The protest surrounds the fact that this circus has many animals including elephants. As a society we are now coming to realise that moving animals such as this around countries and using them as entertainment is inhumane.

I for one am proud of my fellow campaigners for helping put a halt to this sick show in my town and would hope that others will do the same in their towns to finally get the message across to circuses that using animals like this is not acceptable.

How do you feel about animals being used as entertainment in this way?

kneemos

Facebook eh.

PARlance

Can't wait for Cheltenham myself.

Arkady

The Belly Wien Circus was due to perform in Monaghan this weekend but due to a successful Facebook campaign and petition, they have now left town.

Pity the same couldn't be done with the current Irish political parties.

aaronjumper

As long as the animals are happy and not being mistreated what is the harm?

Moving animals is wrong so take your animals and move on.
If the animals are being mistreated I fail to see how this is a win.

NIMAN

Circus sorted.

Drug dealers next?

Witchie

aaronjumper wrote: »

As long as the animals are happy and not being mistreated what is the harm?

Moving animals is wrong so take your animals and move on.
If the animals are being mistreated I fail to see how this is a win.

By sending out the message that a circus with animals will not be tolerated in our town and hopefully all of Ireland, they will see that there is no money to be made exploiting the animals and then it will stop.

This circus has already been banned in the Netherlands where it is from and I think it is time for a European, and in fact world wide ban on them so that these poor animals are no longer harmed.

Read more about them and the campaign to stop them here

kneemos

Witchie wrote: »

By sending out the message that a circus with animals will not be tolerated in our town and hopefully all of Ireland, they will see that there is no money to be made exploiting the animals and then it will stop.

This circus has already been banned in the Netherlands where it is from and I think it is time for a European, and in fact world wide ban on them so that these poor animals are no longer harmed.

Read more about them and the campaign to stop them here

So the animals get sold for lion food?

Witchie

kneemos wrote: »

So the animals get sold for lion food?

In an ideal world they will be brought to live out their lives in a nice safe safari park. Hopefully that is what will happen but if unfortunately they are not, at least if we can prevent others having to live this life and stop this cruelty it will be a step forward.

fatknacker

"All my life, I wanted to be a performing animal"

Said Mr Elephant.

"...oh how I love to hear, how they adore me so. They. And they. They LOVE. Me? Too?"

"How I wish I could take to the stage just one last time. Is there any justice left in this world? Aren't we, too, deserving of fame and admiration? I was born for this. We were born for this. It's all we know. And what we know...well. It's a damn ruddy good show!"

roverrules

Witchie wrote: »

By sending out the message that a circus with animals will not be tolerated in our town and hopefully all of Ireland, they will see that there is no money to be made exploiting the animals and then it will stop.

This circus has already been banned in the Netherlands where it is from and I think it is time for a European, and in fact world wide ban on them so that these poor animals are no longer harmed.

Read more about them and the campaign to stop them here

Now showing at your local meat counter.

pablo128

What's the point of a circus if it has no animals?

The Backwards Man

I went to a zoo for the first time since I was 10 a few weeks ago.

Captivity is no place to keep wild aminals in.

darkpagandeath

Would this be the same kind of good doers that let an invasive freshwater species go in Dublin bay that promptly died ?

Ice Maiden

Good gesture Witchie. Social media is great, but what is sometimes typical of it also is when something like this is slated because it's only one cause - and apparently one should only look after all causes in order to be consistent (according to many who don't make a stand for any cause).

Never mind all that though - you did something to make whatever bit of a difference you could, good job.

TheLastMohican

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I went to a zoo for the first time since I was 10 a few weeks ago.

Captivity is no place to keep wild aminals in.

Then what about the bipeds in the Dail?

humberklog

I don't mind animals in a circus too much but clowns really annoy me.

I'd say more animals if it meant less clowns.

dr.fuzzenstein

pablo128 wrote: »

What's the point of a circus if it has no animals?

Plenty point:
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com

The Backwards Man

TheLastMohican wrote: »

Then what about the bipeds in the Dail?

My wee doggy has more sense than any of them bastards. I'm actually thinking of standing her in the next inevitable election. She'll keep all you yahoos on your toes.

The Backwards Man

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Plenty point:
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com

I went to one of them in Vegas. Two of them as a matter of fact. Load of balls. A circus needs a couple of clowns clowns and some eejit to shoot the apple of off the head of another eejit. No more, no less.

TheLastMohican

The Backwards Man wrote: »

My wee doggy has more sense than any of them bastards. I'm actually thinking of standing her in the next inevitable election. She'll keep all you yahoos on your toes.

Arfff!

Your Face

That showed them.

The Backwards Man

TheLastMohican wrote: »

Arfff!

Have you heard a more sensible statement from any politician since Friday? Give her nuts in the morning, a half an apple at lunchtime and a dentastick before bed and my wee Lucky could run this country with two paws tied behind her back.

goz83

Whats your stance on animals kept in a zoo?

What's your stance on animals kept in a house? I know some cat/dog owners domesticate their animals so much so, that they never ever keave the house!

Some of these save the world groups do more damage than anything else.

I'm not a fan of performing animals at a circus, but I see little difference between that and the people who turn their dogs into Elvis and Barbie and parade them around the dog shows....same for cats.

Ice Maiden

goz83 wrote: »

Whats your stance on animals kept in a zoo?

What's your stance on animals kept in a house? I know some cat/dog owners domesticate their animals so much so, that they never ever keave the house!

Some of these save the world groups do more damage than anything else.

I'm not a fan of performing animals at a circus, but I see little difference between that and the people who turn their dogs into Elvis and Barbie and parade them around the dog shows....same for cats.

And that's fine. Witchie didn't say anything about approving of the above.

The Backwards Man

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I went to a zoo for the first time since I was 10 a few weeks ago.

Captivity is no place to keep wild aminals in.

You were 10 a few weeks ago?

Christ.

goz83

goz83 wrote: »

Whats your stance on animals kept in a zoo?

What's your stance on animals kept in a house? I know some cat/dog owners domesticate their animals so much so, that they never ever keave the house!

Some of these save the world groups do more damage than anything else.

I'm not a fan of performing animals at a circus, but I see little difference between that and the people who turn their dogs into Elvis and Barbie and parade them around the dog shows....same for cats.

Yep, I always laugh at people in apartments with cats and dogs - that must be dead inside - giving out about animal welfare.

pickarooney

Witchie wrote: »

The Belly Wien Circus was due to perform in Monaghan this weekend but due to a successful Facebook campaign and petition, they have now left town.

The protest surrounds the fact that this circus has many animals including elephants. As a society we are now coming to realise that moving animals such as this around countries and using them as entertainment is inhumane.

I for one am proud of my fellow campaigners for helping put a halt to this sick show in my town and would hope that others will do the same in their towns to finally get the message across to circuses that using animals like this is not acceptable.

How do you feel about animals being used as entertainment in this way?

So Monaghan's answer to animals being moved around was to make them move on again?

Dr Turk Turkelton

Witchie: he's the hero Monaghan deserves not the one it needs.

Buona Fortuna

When I was young I wanted to run away and join the circus.

aaronjumper

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

When I was young I wanted to run away and join the circus.

If they have to get rid of the animals they might be willing to take you in now.

Buona Fortuna

aaronjumper wrote: »

If they have to get rid of the animals they might be willing to take you in now.

You're right, its never too late.

barneystinson

Arkady wrote: »

Pity the same couldn't be done with the current Irish political parties.

Of course the same could be done with them, that's what elections are for, and the opportunity was there last Friday, but the majority of people voted for them.

So maybe what you mean is, pity democracy couldn't be done away with...?

Cabaal

Witchie wrote: »

The Belly Wien Circus was due to perform in Monaghan this weekend but due to a successful Facebook campaign and petition, they have now left town.

The protest surrounds the fact that this circus has many animals including elephants. As a society we are now coming to realise that moving animals such as this around countries and using them as entertainment is inhumane.

I for one am proud of my fellow campaigners for helping put a halt to this sick show in my town and would hope that others will do the same in their towns to finally get the message across to circuses that using animals like this is not acceptable.

Rather then creating some vigilante group to run a business out of town because they personally don't like the idea of the business, would it not be better to lobby the government to change the law in relation to animals and circus?

Until the law is changed what the circus is doing is perfectly legal and nobody should be effecting their business.

Muahahaha

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I went to a zoo for the first time since I was 10 a few weeks ago.

Captivity is no place to keep wild aminals in.

I'd agree with this but I think you can justify zoos (sort of) in that they spend an awful lot of time making the environment for the animals as close as is possible to what they would have in the wild. Animals in zoos live longer than those in the wild. Also a zoo serves an excellent educational resource for children who without it would never have gotten the chance to see these animals in Africa or where ever. Its not ideal but whatever animals are in a zoo are only a tiny minute percentage of the numbers in the wild.

Circuses on the other hand are far removed from hosting an animal in a natural environment. Constantly moving elephants and tigers in small cages by truck from supermarket car parks to football grounds to parks and so on is not good for them. Elephants for example get spooked by the smallest things, even noise from the construction of metal poles for the circus tent would freak them. Then having them perform day in day out is also removed from their natural state that their ancestors enjoyed. It is a completely unnatural environment to put an animal in, at least a zoo goes to extraordinary lengths to home them in a proper way and offers high level veterinary care on top. Circuses do neither.

seamus

Believing that circus animals in any way resemble zoo animals or house pets is exactly the kind of ignorance that these kinds of campaigns try to address.

They are pressuring the politicians, but support for ideas comes from the people, not from the politicians. Many circuses have already stopped using animals because they've seen their attendance numbers collapse.

Circuses with animals are a relic of the 19th century. Even modern zoos (in the western world) have copped on and redeveloped themselves into animal sanctuaries rather than public freakshows.

Kidchameleon

I wonder if the OP or the people who signed the petition are vegetarians?

Wibbs

Muahahaha wrote: »

Its not ideal but whatever animals are in a zoo are only a tiny minute percentage of the numbers in the wild.

With some species the zoo and safari park population is a large proportion of the overall population and the only hope of saving them from extinction. Zoos can make a big difference. Circuses on the other hand do nothing for the animals.

osarusan

This is AH alright.

Small but well-meaning act gets drowned in pointless cynicism.

Wibbs

osarusan wrote: »

This is AH alright.

Small but well-meaning act gets drowned in pointless cynicism.

Oh you mean don't let facts get in the way of feels? Look, I say fair play to Witchie and the community and it sent a message, but now the best plan is to appeal for legislation based on animal welfare realities to get this kinda thing banned from the country and the EU.

Ice Maiden

osarusan wrote: »

This is AH alright.

Small but well-meaning act gets drowned in pointless cynicism.

Not only that, but these weird demanding posts like "I suppose you're OK with xyz????" when there is literally no indication that they are OK with same, and are likely not to be.
"And what about your local Butcher????"

If you contribute to a cause YOU MUST CONTRIBUTE TO EVERY OTHER CAUSE EVER, OTHERWISE YOU ARE A HYPOCRITE.

If you do nothing for anything you are much more honorable. Even moreso if you sneer at other people contributing to causes.

Ice Maiden

Wibbs wrote: »

Oh you mean don't let facts get in the way of feels?

No?

goz83

Ice Maiden wrote: »

And that's fine. Witchie didn't say anything about approving of the above.

Just as well I didn't suggest she was.

While I personally don't agree with animals (most especially larger ones) being used in a circus, I don't think the right approach is to force the circus out of town (and onto the next town) because it does nothing but massage the ego of someone involved in "the cause". The animals are moved on more quickly, probably more stressed from more time in a cage as a result of being forced out of town.

While the intent was noble, the result was less than successful when you think about it. A better approach would have been to refuse to go and instead, start up one of those signature campaigns and highlight the issue. Get the local journalists on board....nothing like a free story to fill the middle pages of the local gazette.

Sam Kade

Wasn't buffalo bill lucky imagine the moaning they'd have nowadays for bringing horses and buffalo across the Atlantic on sailing ships.

Macy0161

pablo128 wrote: »

What's the point of a circus if it has no animals?

Yeah, surely we know the real evil in circuses are clowns!

valoren

I'd get up on my high horse too but a facebook campaign about abusing the horse has prevented me from doing so.

valoren

PARlance wrote: »

Can't wait for Cheltenham myself.

I'd say those thoroughbreds are cared for more than some people.

ebbsy

I like shark fin soup.

Ice Maiden

goz83 wrote: »

Whats your stance on animals kept in a zoo?

What's your stance on animals kept in a house? I know some cat/dog owners domesticate their animals so much so, that they never ever keave the house!.

Goz, you did imply she's ok with them above.

Not literally of course, but I don't get the point of those accusatory rhetorical questions - I'm sure her stance on zoos is that she disagrees with them, and with keeping animals indoors all the time.

It was a well meaning gesture and awareness creating - pissing on something for the sake of it might make the person feel smug and superior and cool but it just makes them look petty, and it certainly makes the person who has carried out the gesture look the bigger person. I don't mean people saying it's well meaning but... and then giving a reason why they might have objections by the way. Just people who just simply have to put anything well meaning down in order to feel better about themselves.

Tabnabs

Big business in circus'. Helped along by very generous state (tax payer) grants.

http://www.irishcircuses.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Table_9-1024x389.jpg

andekwarhola

No living creature should be made enact their entire lives in hellish environments.

The government should endeavor to resettle refugees from Monaghan immediately.