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ARCHIVED - End of subsidies for wild animal circuses in Spain
Three major circuses in Spain still use animals in their performances
Animal rights activists all across Spain have celebrated a huge victory this week as the government has announced that circuses which use wild animals in their performances will no longer be entitled to apply for financial subsidies.
Back in 2019 amid growing public pressure, the Ministry of Culture gave circuses three years to phase out the use of animals, otherwise they would not be in a position to access funds through the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM), but for years before this activists have been fighting the practice.
In February 2016, together with the actresses Natalie Seseña and Lluvia Rojo, InfoCircos delivered a petition to the organisation containing more than 100,000 signatures against the granting of subsidies.
Although Spanish circuses containing wild animals performing in other counties will be allowed to continue for another year, InfoCircus nevertheless considers the change a huge “victory.”
Where animals continue to be used abroad, their proper treatment and care will have to be accredited by a registered public entity or recognised independent organisation in order for the circus to receive the subsidy.
The group estimates that subsidies could range between 10,000 and 40,000 euros per circus per year, although recently “a gradual decrease in aid granted to circuses with animals has been observed, in line with the conversion process that the circuses themselves undertook towards shows without animals.”
According to InfoCircus, there are three Spanish circuses that continue to use wild animals in their shows, but the new rules mean that organisers will have to comply with the regulations laid down by each region of Spain they perform in.
“Even the ones which still use them have an alternative performance program without animals to perform in those municipalities and regions where the presence of wild animals is no longer authorised,” the group concluded.
Image: Archive
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