Spain Abolishes Grants For Circuses With Wild Animals In Victory For Campaigners
Spain News
Published: 25 May 2022 18:21 CET
Circuses in Spain which use wild animals will no longer be eligible for government subsidies, it has been announced.
In 2019, the Spanish Ministry of Culture set a three-year period for circuses to cease using wild animals in shows. Any that did, would no longer be granted the subsidies via the governing body INAEM (National Institute of Performing Arts and Music).
Instead, there has been a drive to encourage circuses to utilise human artists rather than animals, who, unlike their human counterparts, do not get to choose whether to perform or not.
The InfoCircos coalition which includes the groups ANDA, FAADA, Animanaturalis and AAP Primadomus, said they considered the new ruling an “important victory” brought about with the cooperation of INAEM.
In February 2016, the group together with Spanish actresses Natalie Seseña and Lluvia Rojo, collected more than 100,000 petition signatures in one month from members of the public who were against the subsidies.
Although in recent years it is thought that the amount of aid given to circuses via subsidies had been decreasing due to the gradual phasing out of animals, Infocircos estimated that the subsidies given to the circuses ranged from 10,000 to 40,000 euros per year.
In a statement, via their website, FAADA said, “After three years of dialogue with the institution, from InfoCircos we congratulate INAEM for the steps taken, which were well received from the start.
“The agreement reached meant the opening of a period of adaptation for circus companies that still used wild animals in their shows. In 2022, at last, the call for Circus Grants has been modified.
“From this moment on, applicant circus companies will no longer be eligible for subsidies if they use wild animals in their shows in Spain.”
The Infocircus group has played a major role in the collaboration for the relocation of the animals with the Alicante based AAP Primadomus rescue centre for wild animals relocating 80% of the big cats from breeders linked to the circuses.
Over the past seven years, there has been considerable progress made in the abolishment of circus wild animals in 11 autonomous communities and more than 500 municipalities.
FAADA said, “The Ministry of Culture is now aligned with this general trend and from InfoCircos we trust that the Autonomous Communities where these shows are still allowed will put an end to this anachronistic practice without further delay.
“We won't stop until animal circuses are just a bad memory!”
Source
https://faada.org/our-action-1664-victoria-el-ministerio-de-cultura-elimina-las-subvenciones-a-los-circos-con-animales-salvajes
