Britons think that wild animals in circuses should be a thing of the past
In April this year, the government announced plans to ban the use of wild animals in circuses in England from December 2015. However, earlier this month MPs suggested that these rules are too strict and circuses should be allowed to feature animals such as snakes, zebras, camels and parrots.
YouGov research shows that the public support the government’s proposals. More than four in five (81%) Britons think that circuses should be banned from using bears, while only 9% think the practice should continue. Almost eight in ten (79%) people think tigers should not be allowed in the circus, and only 10% want to continue seeing elephants perform.
Public divided over snakes and parrots
Public opinion is more divided over whether parrots and snakes should be banned from the circus. Although snakes and parrots are among the animals which MPs recommended to keep in the circus, the public still remain in favour of banning them from this form of entertainment. Almost two-fifths (39%) say that parrots should be allowed to appear in shows compared to just under half (48%) that disagree. Three in ten (30%) believe parrots should be part of the circus, while 57% think they should be prohibited.
