By NOEL MURPHY
ERONI’S Circus has asked Surf Coast Shire Council to let it perform as a case study of how circuses treat animals.
The circus’s plea follows council’s shire-wide ban of circuses with caged animals.
Eroni’s Cathy Maynard said ratepayers should make the call on what constitutes a “well-run circus”.
“Unfortunately, we find that emotional hysteria and hypocrisy often overrides any fair, objective assessment of performing circus animals,” she said.
“Many of the people who campaign strongly against circuses have often never even seen a recent Australian circus. They base their opinions on dated overseas incidents, hearsay, propaganda and often complete speculative ignorance.”
Ms Maynard said Eroni was “extremely confident” about its treatment of animals.
Eroni’s provided patrons educational material to circus patrons regarding our animal welfare practises, we are very particular about the modern attractive appearance of our circus, overall cleanliness, large tidy animal enclosures, uniformed staff and high standard of performances, she said.
Circuses have hit out at not just the Surf Coast ban but obstacles they claim have been thrown up by the City of Greater Geelong.
Ms Maynard said if Surf Coast was serious about representing its ratepayers, it should let ratepayers gauge Eroni’s standards.
“We ask you to survey our animal care, and your ratepayers’ response to our circus in your shire,” she said.
Eroni’s also queried the reason for the ban, arguing that over the past three years, it had gone to council on numerous occasions regarding performing at Torquay, only to be told no sites were available.
“Every application has been rejected on the grounds that ‘there are no suitable circus sites available’,” it said.
“For council to even put a motion forward to ban circus animals would clearly imply there (were) suitable circus sites available in the area in the first place, otherwise it would be a pointless ban.”
A Surf Coast spokesperson said council had asked the shire’s chief executive officer to investigate ways to ban circuses with animals.
“This approach wouldn’t constitute a ban on circuses that have planning permission and don’t use animals,” the spokesperson said.
