Lions and Monkeys Retired From Circus Performances

After decades of campaigning against the use of exotic animals in Australian circuses by Animal Liberation and other organisations, and in the face of steadily mounting public pressure, Stardust Circus have finally made the decision to quietly retire their captive lions and monkeys from performing.

With Lennon Bros Circus having made a similar decision in recent years, this means that the days of exotic animals being subjected to extended periods of confinement on and off the road as circuses tour the country, and being forced to perform degrading and unnatural tricks as a long-outdated form of 'entertainment', are finally over.

The suffering experienced by these animals was clear to just about anyone who saw them repeatedly pacing their cages between shows, who noticed their obvious reluctance to perform, who met their depressed gaze as they surveyed yet another audience surrounding them. It was certainly clear to us when we visited during the making of Dominion.

A lion paces his cage between showings at Stardust Circus

This is an important victory - but the fight isn't over yet, as both Stardust and Lennon Bros, and several other circuses, continue to exploit domestic animals including horses, ponies, goats, dogs and pigs in their acts.

You can help by contacting your local council and asking them to ban circuses that exploit animals from setting up on their land, and contacting your representatives in state parliament to ask for a state-wide ban.