JOHANNESBURG -  This is according to Michael Almendro, the co-organiser of a protest held in front of the Brian Boswell circus at the weekend against the use of wild animals in circuses.

Two of South Africa’s better known shows,  the Brian Boswell Circus and McLaren Circus, both involve animal performances.

“There were 6 000 paying customers last week who came to the circus and the week before, we had 5 000 people who came to watch the show,” said  David McLaren, owner of the McLaren Circus and an animal trainer.

The owner of the Brian Boswell Circus, Brian Boswell, reiterated the public demand for circus performances saying people are welcome to visit his circus to take a look at the condition of the animals he keeps.

Both McLaren and Boswell say they are regularly visited by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). “The SPCA visits us regularly and members even sit backstage while the animals are performing to see whether we are doing anything wrong,” said McLaren. According to Boswell the animals are trained with patience and kindness.

Jaryd Sage who led the protest  in Durban on Sunday said circuses try to defend themselves but, “the reality is that there is nothing kind or natural about an animal such as a tiger or an elephant performing tricks in a travelling circus show.”

Last year in March, the NSPCA launched its “Celebrate the Wildness of Wild Animals” Campaign which encouraged people not to support circuses that have wild animal acts.

“There are circuses around the world that boast a variety of talented acts that pay tribute to the capabilities of man and his extraordinary ability to stretch the limits,” said the NSPCA’s Wildlife Unit Manager, Brenda Santon.