Finally I can confirm that there will no longer be wild animals in circuses in the UK! This has been a long-time coming and this victory is down to many, many people (including all of you!) and organisations such as Born Free, RSPCA and Animal Defenders International.

 The Wild Animals in Circuses Bill gained royal assent on the 24th of July and is now officially in place. This means that circus operators in England will no longer be able to use wild animals. The public are still able to enjoy the amusement that a circus has to offer, yet can now be assured that no wild animals will be part of that experience.

 Dr Chris Draper, Head of Animal Welfare & captivity at the Born Free Foundation said: After years of waiting for this issue to be resolved, Born Free is delighted that Mr Gove will now bring this Bill forward. The use of wild animals in travelling circuses is outdated and unpopular, and this legislation will bring England into line with a long and increasing list of countries which have banned this practice."

 So now it's to time to celebrate the fact that the UK is inching towards better animal welfare standards. There's still much to do, but this victory is a testimony to the fact that when perseverance, passion and compassion combine, great change can happen. Well done to all!