Guatemala Follows Mexico with Circus Animal Ban Tim Rogers - Fusion
go to original January 15, 2015

A child stands next to an 11-year-old Lion called "Baby" during a protest by local circus employees at the National Congress in Guatemala City, 2007. The circus employees marched against a law which would permit foreign circus to present their shows outside the capital. (AP/Alexandre Meneghini)

Anyone who’s ever parted with $4 to attend a traveling circus in Central America knows what a sad spectacle they can be: skinny elephants trudge mindlessly in tail-to-trunk circles; a listless jaguar lays in a malodorous cage and hopes the mischievous kid with the stick ventures a bit closer to the bars; a zebra contemplates suicide.

One man has seen enough. Guatemala City Mayor Alvaro Arzú issued a Facebook decree announcing that traveling circuses are no longer allowed to include animals as part of their shows in Guatemala’s capital city.

“[Circus animals] are subjected to a brutal mistreatment, and we don’t want to participate in this type of behavior,” the mayor said in a 45-second statement posted to Facebook. “I think most Guatemalans will understand.” In fact, many do.

...Mayor Arzú’s decision to ban circus animals follows a series of complaints and fines levied against a local circus accused of mistreating its animals. It also follows on the heels of similar circus-animal ban issued by Mexico City last year.

“Guatemala City has a tendency to copy what Mexico City does,” noted one local reporter.

Read the rest at Fusion

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!