“Every Animal Captive in a Circus has a Face” is the beginning of an international campaign to help rescue all wild and domestic animals that are still working in circuses across the world.
All over the world there is a growing number of countries introducing laws banning the use of animals in circuses, due to the important and effective work of animal rights organizations.
Many organizations also work in rescuing, rehabilitating (physically and psychologically) and relocating these animals to sanctuaries where they can live a life without being incarcerated or exploited.
To support this work, a group of people from the artistic world has come together to create 12 short films which show the life of slavery which all animals, domestic and wild, still endure in circuses. It is also highlighted the fundamental issue -- that we do not have the right to exploit or keep anyone captive for our amusement.
In Portugal, the following renown actresses and actors participate in this initiative: RITA BLANCO, ADRIANO LUZ, MARIA JOÃO LUÍS, JOÃO LAGARTO, CARLA BOLITO, FILIPE DUARTE, ANA BRANDÃO, RUBEN ALVES, MITÓ MENDES, MARCELLO URGEGHE, MANUELA COUTO AND DIOGO AMARAL.
About #unchainmee
#unchainmee is an informal group o citizens of many countries, namely from Portugal, which gathered to launch the first stage of this campaign to abolish the use of all animals in circuses.
While all the members of #unchainmee admire the circus as an art and an impressive show, with its human artists, we find unacceptable that animals of so many species go on being confined and forced to act in circus shows.
From this initiative an international production has been launched, authored by film director Teresa Ramos, which is now being released in Portugal, with 12 films which tell real story of animals that lived in circuses and were rescued. As in its first stage in Portugal, these stories will also be told in other countries by respected local actors.
On Regulation versus Rescue and Liberation
The Portuguese law, for example, still disregards the protection and liberation of animals still held captive in circuses, as it just bans their reproduction (and only of wild species), allowing their exploitation.
Yet even this law is not respected, since, at Christmas time, it is still common to see circuses presenting lion and tiger cubs for photographic opportunities with spectators, something which is illegal.
By observing the behavior of animals that are confined in circuses one can easily conclude that the symptoms of confinement, such as repetitive behaviours, stereotypic behavior, coprophagy and so many others which are very well documented by veterinarians and biologists specialized in ethology, show very clearly the life of slavery to which animals in circuses are still being forced.
One of the reported stories, of Shirley the elephant, shows that, if even modern zoos in the world begin to openly acknowledge that they cannot offer their animals the well-being and sufficient space to give them decent conditions of life, then there is no way by which circuses – which are mobile by nature and which have cages as the permanent enclosures of animals – can keep their animals in acceptable conditions.
Finally
#unchainmee also highlights that this problem equally affects animals of both wild and domestic species (the latter being very disregarded by the eyes of the law and by the very public), as the stories that #unchainmee demonstrate. The conclusion to draw from this is that all animals – and not only those of wild species – kept in circuses should be rescued and placed in sanctuaries where their integrity can be recovered and preserved. The public should undoubtedly be incentivized to choose solely circuses which have no animals whatsoever.
THE BEHAVIOR OF ANIMALS HELD CAPTIVE IN CIRCUSES
THE TRAINING OF CIRCUS ANIMALS, THEIR STORY AND THEIR END WHEN NOT RESCUED
LIST OF COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE BANNED ANIMAL CIRCUSES
Find here soon the list of the campaign subscribers...
