A Pennsylvania state senator introduced a bill Tuesday that seeks to ban the use of wild or exotic animals in circuses and other traveling acts.
The legislation comes after the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said it would no longer use elephants - a change that came after years of pressure by animal rights groups.
“In the past few years, the public learned about the suffering endured by circus elephants,”
State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery/Delaware, said in a statement. “Elephants are not the only circus animals that are suffering. To maximize profit, traveling exhibitions use grueling itineraries that force all of their animals to endure cramped living quarters, limited social interaction, and perpetual stress.”
Leach said he worked with
Animal Defenders International on the legislation. That group praised circus companies that decided against using elephants in their shows and advocated for animal-free performances.
ADI’s President Jan Creamer said despite the appearance that animals are enjoying themselves during performances, the reality is different.
“Due to severe confinement, lack of free exercise and the restriction of natural behaviors, animals used in traveling circuses suffer and are prone to health, behavioral and psychological problems,” Creamer said in a statement.
