Mexico Circus Ban Threatens Animals

Mexico’s ban of the use of animals in circuses taking effect July 8 will result in the deaths of many of the largest animals, such as elephants, zebras and big cats, which have no provisions for care if not performing.

Photo: AP Photo

Elephants are marched to the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The federal ban, spearheaded by Mexico’s Green Party and following the lead of 12 of the country’s 31 states that have already enacted bans, requires circuses to submit lists of their animals in order to make them available to zoos. However, Mexico’s public zoos are reportedly strapped for cash, and it’s an open question if they can take the animals, let alone offer compensation.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus won’t come to Mexico this year because of the bans, according to spokesman Stephen Payne. Ringling Bros. on March 5 announced it would phase elephants out of its shows by 2018. Ringling Bros. plans to retire its elephants at the company’s 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation in central Florida.

Armando Cedeno, the head of Mexico’s circus owners’ association, said food and care for some of the animals can cost close to $100 a day.

“If we can’t feed them, we’re going to have to put them to sleep. We don’t have any other option,” Cedeno said, adding that about 200 circuses in Mexico have permits to use animals. The number of animals affected could be in the thousands.

Circus owners say the law does little to protect animals already working and says nothing about bullfighting or cockfighter, which are legal in Mexico. Cedeno estimated about 10 percent of the country’s circuses already have closed because of the ban.

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