Bobby Roberts back in the Midlands

Bobby Roberts animal circus have been back in the Midlands recently and protesters have ensured that wherever they went, the general public were aware of the animals suffering.

posted 18-11-04

During the first week in November, the circus rolled into Bromsgrove where they were met by a storm of controversy! They intended to hold a publicity stunt with Anne the elephant `having breakfast` on Asda car park, but the Captive Animals` Protection Society stepped in and appealed to Asda not to promote circus cruelty. Asda called off the stunt! Then Bobby Roberts went on local BBC Radio offering a ride on Anne to the highest bidder! CAPS again stepped in and the BBC called a halt to the auction. Local press were invited along to the circus showground(see pic) where photos of Anne were taken to try and drum up some trade in the local area. Read the article in the Bromsgrove Standard below or read it here

Local group Redditch Animal Rights held protests outside the circus on 5 consecutive nights. At each demo, which consisted of upto 11 protesters, people were persuaded to boycott the circus. Many people were shocked to learn that circuses were still using animals. Protesters spoke to loads of people coming out the afternoon performances that were horrified at the cruelty they had seen inside. Many of them pledged to complain to the RSPCA about the condition of the animals.

After Bromsgrove, Bobby Roberts moved onto Kenilworth where WMAA also held demos 5 nights running. Large posters and placards lined the road on the busy A452 and the support from passing traffic was tremendous, with countless honks on horns and waves! On 2 nights, local people who happened to be passing stopped their car and came to join the demo! Once again, people intending to go to the circus, turned away when they learnt Bobby Roberts had animals. Hundreds of leaflets were handed out during the week. There were several more articles in local newspapers and 2 Midlands radio stations held interviews with protesters!

The best way you can help to bring an end to animal suffering in circuses is to boycott them and to encourage your friends and family to do the same. Animal circuses that often visit the Midlands include Zippos, Jollys and the Great British Circus. If you see a circus advertised in your area, and you fear that it has animal acts, please let us know. When you see posters in shop windows promoting an animal circus, why not approach staff in the shop and ask them to stop promoting cruelty and take down the poster.

To read more about Bobby Roberts when they visited the Midlands previously this year, click on the links below to previous articles on this website. Circus cruelty in the Midlands 4-4-04 Demos galore at Redditch circus 9-5-04

For more info about the cruelty of animal circuses, please click on the Captive Animals` Protection Society logo to go to their website.

Circus slammed for having animals Bromsgrove Standard 4-11-04 A CONTROVERSIAL travelling circus, which has a 50-year-old elephant, has been slammed by an animal rights group following its Bromsgrove performances this week. And the Captive Animals' Protection Society group (CAPS) praised Asda in the run up to the Bobby Roberts Circus shows for cancelling a planned publicity stunt which was due to involve Anne the elephant having breakfast at the store. The actual circus performances began on Tuesday (November 2) and will continue on the site off Perryfield Road until Sunday (November 7). Bobby Roberts has come under fire because it is the only circus touring Britain that has an elephant and is one of the few remaining circuses to still use animals. Craig Redmond, CAPS campaigns officer, thanked Asda for cancelling the stunt. "We ask other companies not to become involved in giving publicity to animal circuses. "All major animal welfare organisations, including the RSPCA, oppose the use of animals in circuses and the world's leading elephant experts condemn the use of elephants. "We are also asking the public to boycott animal circuses and to visit one of the many animal-free circuses that visits the Midlands instead." A spokesperson for Bobby Roberts Circus accused the animal rights protestors of using bullying tactics. "We are open to RSPCA inspectors 24-hours-a-day if they want to come along and have a look around. "We are members of the Circus Proprietors Association and the Showman's Guild and because we are members, we have to ensure our animals are given regular check-ups by fully qualified vets. "We had 900 people come to see the show on the first night and the bookings for the weekend shows are also going well, so people here have obviously made their own minds up." He also praised the local residents for the welcome the circus had been given and apologised for any disruption caused when the group arrived late on Sunday evening (October 31).

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