Denmark forbids the use of animals in circuses and buys the last 4 elephants in order to release them

The animals used in circus shows, in fact live a life in a cage, with all its hardship and mistreatment. Even in circuses where there’s no violence, animals live an existence that really has very little to do with that of their own kind living in nature. Fortunately, today more and more countries have taken measures and to try to limit, and eventually eliminate, such injustices against other creatures. Denmark, for example, was one of those countries where the use of circus animals was limited but not completely eradicated. Now, it looks like a new initiative is going to change the cards on the table.

Photo: Daderot (CC0)

By the end of 2019, it seems that Denmark will definitively abolish the use of animals in circuses. Good news for all those associations that are committed to defending the rights of animals and for all those who care about the fate of other living beings. As a preliminary measure, the Danish state has invested 11 million crowns (1.6 million dollars) in the purchase of the last 4 circus elephants left in the country. These four elephants — Ramboline, Lara, Djunga and Jenny — were released, with the intention of transferring them to an environment more suited to their needs.

Photo: Laura LaRose / flickr (CC BY 2.0)

The announcement was made by Mr. Mogens Jensen, the Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries who added that there are still no immediate plans for the four elephants. While coordinating their transfer to a destination more suitable to them, the animal protection organization in Denmark will take care of elephants. According to PETA, in mid-2019, there were only 26 countries that banned the use of animals in circuses, including: Austria, Bolivia, Croatia, Singapore, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Scotland.

There is still a lot to do in this field, but many countries have already taken the first steps towards a world, free from animal abuse in circuses.

Based on: curioctopus