The NSPCA has added its voice to the growing international movement toward the prohibition of wild animals in travelling circuses.
KAWS would have liked Knysna to become one of the first towns in South Africa to refuse to host what KAWS perceives as the exploitation of wild animals for financial gain. This was not to be.
Whilst many who attended the circus were under the impression that KAWS was intimating that McLaren Circus staff were abusive toward the animals in their care, this was not the reason for the picket. There was in fact no evidence of direct physical abuse toward any of the McLaren animals.
The general consensus amongst protestors was that the protest was aimed at drawing attention to the plight of wild animals in travelling circuses and raising public concern as to the morality of holding wild animals captive and making them perform for human entertainment.
KAWS chairperson Marten van Leeuwen provided a document outlining the reasons for the protest. This document stated that the NSPCA and KAWS are totally opposed to exhibitions or presentations of wildlife in circuses and travelling menageries. They are of the opinion that cruelty to animals is inherent to such displays and as such seek to end such uses of wild animals. They work to achieve this by increasing public awareness and strengthening legislation that protects captive wild and exotic animals.
For full details on the NSPCA campaign against circuses visit www.nspca.co.za and view 'circuses' listed under 'campaigns'.
Arnold Dickson, spokesperson for McLaren Circus highlighted the distinction between animal rights and animal welfare. "Our animals receive the best veterinary care available in South Africa. We have only received praise with regard to our immaculate animal welfare," he said.
According to Dickson, the greatest misconception about circus animals at present is that people believe that the animals are being captured from their mothers in the wild at a very young age. "All McLaren Circus animals are born from generations of animals born in captivity," he said.
He clarified that McLaren Circus is a legal and legitimate business that complies to all rules and regulations as per the South African Government. "In the nine years of McLaren Circus we have also not had a single incident with humans or animals being injured. No owner, director or staff member have ever been charged or found guilty of any animal cruelty charges," said Dickson.
"Apart from anything else, it would be a financial risk to condone animal abuse," said David McLaren, circus proprietor. It costs in the region of R50 000 per month to maintain and transport the circus animals, a heavy investment in their well-being.
McLaren questioned why KAWS had not inspected the animals in their care prior to staging protest action. Van Leeuwen said that there was no point to an inspection. The protestors explained that they were not accusing McLaren Circus of animal welfare violations, they were protesting against the use of animals in circuses at all.
"Circus animals stir emotions, both positive and negative, and one is tempted to take an anthropomorphic approach. This is incorrect as animals do not think, feel and act as humans do," said Dickson.
American lion and tiger trainer, Casey McCoy Cainan grew up in the circus. He started doing juggling and high-wire acts but soon recognised his affinity for the animals. He had his first dog and goat act at age twelve and went on to study elephant handling under a mentor from age fourteen.
Cainan regards the movement toward the exclusion of wild animals from circuses to be speciesist. He expressed the view that in today's world, the majority of so-called wild animals have been desensitised to humans. "They are all in cages, it is just the size of the cage that differs," said Cainan.
He has been working with big cats for about 14 years. With regards to the training of these big cats, Cainan said, "I don't expect them to be anything other than lions or tigers." He explained that he used positive reinforcement in their training sessions since a relationship based on trust rather than fear is crucial. "They only become aggressive when they are afraid," said Cainan.
He spends a large portion of his day watching the big cats playing in their 30m x 30m pen so that he learns to know their natural tendencies. Everything that the wild cats do when displayed is based on their natural behaviour and group dynamics. His response to the suggestion that their controlled environment is unnatural: "What determines what is natural? To these animals, this is natural."
Despite a letter of objection from KAWS to the municipality, dated January 3, in which it was pointed out that all stakeholders should have been consulted prior to a permit being granted and their objection lodged in the strongest possible terms to "a circus featuring captive wild animals being allowed to stage an event in Knysna", the shows went ahead.
"Circuses featuring Bengal tigers, white lions, goats, pythons, donkeys and miniature horses are morally reprehensible and allowing it to continue simply reinforces the notion in young people that it is acceptable to do so," read the letter penned by van Leeuwen.
Many families nonetheless attended the circus. The audience members were generally positive about the show and their perception of the condition of the animals which included lions, tigers, camels, miniature horses, a pony, a donkey, dogs and pythons. Some said that they would still have attended the circus even if there were no animal acts although they did not see the need to boycott the show on account of the fact that animal acts were included.
Protestors indicated that were McLaren Circus to exclude animals from its acts and favour human performances only, in the tradition of some international circuses, they would welcome them and even go as far as to encourage people to support their shows. Many conscientious objectors came forward saying that they had stopped visiting the circus, even though they had fond childhood memories thereof, because they had come to find the conditions the animals were forced to endure, being constantly on the road, depressing.
The Knysna Municipality issued a statement on January 10 which stated that McLaren Circus' application was granted because they met all existing requirements stipulated in the current bylaw relating to holding an event, although said law makes no specific reference to allowing for captive, performing wildlife at any event.
“It is of the utmost importance to ensure that events happen safely and securely in a coordinated manner. Therefore measures to safeguard physical well-being and safety at events are core to any bylaw legislating these events,”said acting municipal manager Grant Easton.
Cainan explained that the entire layout of the wild cat display had been done with safety as the number one priority. "It makes it easier for the animals," he explained.
Easton said the municipality would revisit its bylaw to take public opinion into consideration as the depth of current public concern has shown a necessity for an opportunity to address all shortcomings in the bylaw and consider input from all role-players. He said a stakeholders meeting would be announced when appropriate.
Knysna Tourism CEO Greg Vogt explained that Knysna Tourism had heard the sentiment of people protesting against circuses with animals and encouraged the municipality to recognise that negative reports could be damaging to the Naturally Knysna brand.
According to Vogt, the Animal Protection Act and Performing Animal Protection Act are currently under review and will take into account the sentiment of the public on this issue. "The acts (legislation) that inform this type of decision-making are very old. One is 1935 and one is 1975. The question is whether these acts fully represent that change in thinking of our society?" he explained.
Vogt said Knysna Tourism would be issuing a questionnaire to assess the sentiment of its members, the results of which would be fed to the board at the end of January to establish an official position on this matter.
McLaren raised the question as to the socio-economic demographic of the protestors and the apparent lack of representation from all societal sectors. He questioned whether there were not more important issues worthy of consideration such as poverty, murder, rape, robbery or even the plethora of captive animals already on display in the Garden Route.
A handful of protestors gathered outside the opening performance of McLaren Circus in Knysna on Friday January 10 to add their voices to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) campaign opposing the use of wild animals in circuses.
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