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.
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