Letter: Circus animals have better life than their cousins in wild

I would count myself as an animal lover. Some would say that I am "soft" about them. I have also had the privilege in recent years of travelling in remote parts of East Africa. I was partly responsible for initiating a project for orphans in the Lango district of Northern Uganda.

The safari parks seem to look after their animals fairly well, but away from the tourist areas the condition of the animals is pitiable.

I have to say that unlike the animals in our circuses these "wild" creatures have a very poor quality of life. The grass eaters are constantly in fear of being violently eaten by marauding carnivores. None of them, herbivores or carnivores, have health care and are despised by the local population. Many are on the point of starvation, diseased and are constantly searching for water.

The condition of circus animals, however, is constantly being monitored and I do not believe for a second that you can train these creatures with cruelty, even if it were permitted. They have a good diet, and healthcare. And, in my book, a great deal of dignity.

Some say it is wrong to train an animal to do something which they wouldn't do in the wild. Well, I used to live on Dartmoor and, I must say I never saw a wild pony carry anything on its back and charge around jumping fences. Nor can I imagine that hounds in the wild chase around in circles after an artificial hare which they can never eat.

With a circus our children have an opportunity to see wonderful animals. Are we suggesting that a better idea is to return all animals, that have been domesticated, to their historic roots.

I too love to dream of the idealistic savannah with animals living in a sort of paradise but I can state from personal experience that those days, certainly in the parts of Africa I know and have seen, are over. If they ever did exist. I shan't be going to the savannah again, but I think I'll probably go to the circus.

Rev Bob Pitcher, Gobowen