On October the 13th, we handed over to the European Parliament all your signatures. The campaign, launched in Spain three years ago, reached international dimension, being translated into five languages and achieving the (still growing) number of 985,302 signatures internationally. A milestone in the fight for animal rights.

The signatures were delivered together with the Eurogroup for Animals, which in March 2021 integrated the “Stop Circus Suffering” campaign into its line of actions. 81 organizations joined the dissemination of the campaign, reaching the sum of 1,019,036 signatures. The signatures were handed over to representatives of the European Parliament, Eleonora Evi MEP and Anja Hazekamp MEP, who will now submit them to the European Commission.

Reineke Hameleers, CEO of Eurogroup for Animals, explained the Stop Circus Suffering campaign’s next steps. “One million citizens have spoken, now we need to turn this public mobilisation into political engagement. Only an EU wide ban can guarantee the end of this outdated entertainment and provide a coherent and effective solution to the physical and emotional suffering of wild animals in circuses”, commented Hameleers.

We have submitted these signatures to the European Commission on behalf of all of you, the million people that have signed, but especially we did it on behalf of all the wild animals that still live miserable lives in circuses and who die knowing nothing but a life of deprivation and suffering. It is now time for the European Commission to listen to the EU citizens and put an end to the use of wild animals in circuses. The NGOs have done our homework, the general public have done their homework, most EU governments have done their homework. It is time for the European Commission to do their job also.

There are only four member countries, Spain, Italy, Germany and France, that have not yet taken the definitive step towards a state regulation that prohibits or restricts the use of animals in circuses. It is time for the EU to put an end once and for all to this cruel, dangerous and unnecessary practice. We owe it to the animals and to our future generations.

Thank you very much for raising the voice of those who do not have it,

InfoCircos