Traveling Circus Protection Act Introduced to Congress

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Animals don't magically appear at theaters, festivals, and fairs. They spend most of their time cooped up, sometimes chained, traveling in trains, trucks and the like. When they are not performing or rehearsing, they are also confined, often in minimal spaces for efficiency, ease of transport and cost concerns. When they are "on", they are contorting themselves and performing unnatural acts for our amusement. These animals are stressed, ill-used, and, as such develop health and behavioral issues often resulting in more confining and training "corrections". This is no life for these exotics and should be an unacceptable form of entertainment for a civilized society.

Congressman Jim Moran, (D-Virginia)  introduced the “Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act” (TEAPA) to restrict the use of exotic, non-domestic animals touring with circuses. This bill would amend the Animal Welfare Act by prohibiting the use of an exotic or wild animal in an animal act, if, "during the 15-day period preceding such participation, such animal was traveling in a mobile housing facility".  Essentially, this would severely cripple the ability of small traveling circuses to exist and would require major changes to larger outfits like Ringling Brothers. In other words, the circus or exhibit just cannot come into town for one day and move on, but rather, it would have to have longer stays in each place with the additional financing for personnel and accommodations attendant to longer stays.

After the recent collapse of a circus elephant, Sarah, and constant pressure by those of us in the Animal Welfare community, this bill is much appreciated and long overdue. We must work together to see that it passes.

In any event, encourage your local cities to simply ban circuses using live animals in your communities and  boycott these circuses and exhibitions wherever they may be. If no one comes - maybe they won't "build" them.

To identify and contact your Congressperson, go to: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

To identify and contact your Senator, go to:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm