Fantastic news from our Colombia team this week when, after a six year campaign of investigations, public education and lobbying, Colombia’s Senate passed the final stage of a Bill to end the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. This was a hard-fought campaign and an amazing coalition of about 70 local groups and campaigners – all determined to win for the animals, and win they did! I am so very, very proud of you all!

Meanwhile, the UK Government’s draft Bill is in committee stage, with the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (EFRA) committee examining the Bill and receiving statements and evidence. After submitting our evidence, ADI has met with the minister, Lord de Mauley, together with other animal groups and outlined our key comments and concerns about the proposed Bill, as currently drafted. This has been a long, hard battle. Our first circus investigation was launched in 1992 and we followed up with the groundbreaking ‘Ugliest Show on Earth’ investigation launched in 1998, which we sent to every animal group in the world and provided the much needed evidence for so many campaigns. Since then it has been promise after promise, with the most recent undertakings from Government to take action being in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Meanwhile we exposed the beatings of elephants at the Great British Circus and the appalling violence to Anne the elephant at Bobby Roberts’ Super Circus, which thankfully, ended in a conviction and Anne being released from the circus.

And we have LION ARK THE MOVIE news! Just this past week, we finally finish Lion Ark, the feature length action adventure documentary about Operation Lion Ark, the rescue and relocation of 25 circus lions from Bolivia, to freedom in Colorado. An exciting and uplifting story, with the real message about animal circuses. We are now pitching the movie to the international film festivals – so keep up on the Lion Ark website and facebook to see how you can help!
http://www.lionarkthemovie.com/
https://www.facebook.com/LionArkTheMovie