As the first municipality in Germany, Rodgau will no longer allocate urban areas to circuses or organizers who display animals of any kind.
In December, the city council had approved a motion by the parliamentary group of the Animal Welfare Party by a majority.

In a letter to Mayor Jürgen Hoffmann and the factions of the local council, PETA thanked them for this forward-looking and animal-friendly decision.
Because even domesticated animals such as horses, alpacas or goats suffer from the much too small cages and enclosures, the constant transport and the unnatural tricks that they are forced to do in the presence of bright headlights and loud music.

The animal rights organization hopes more cities and towns will follow suit, and is also campaigning at the federal level with a petition for a regulation that includes all animal species.

“With this groundbreaking decision, Rodgau paves the way for a society in which the needs of animals are respected and they are no longer locked up to entertain paying visitors and involuntarily have to serve as circus clowns,” says biologist Dr. Yvonne Würz, PETA’s specialist for animals in the entertainment industry.

“A nationwide ban, at least on wild animals, is long overdue. Ultimately, all animal training must be banned in order to end animal suffering in the manege and circus wagons.”

Poor animal husbandry in the circus

A species-appropriate accommodation of animals in circuses is not possible due to the system.

In 2016, the Federal Council called for wild animals such as elephants, giraffes and hippos to be banned from circuses.
In his motion for a resolution, he reasoned that these animal species are subject to considerable suffering, regardless of the circus company.
Animal welfare violations are also common in farms that do not keep wild animals.

Again and again, PETA has to ask the veterinary authorities to enforce the applicable guidelines there as well.
The animal rights organization calls for a general ban on animals in circuses.
The accommodation in small enclosures and an often inadequate supply, the constant transport and the training characterized by violence and coercion also lead to behavioral disorders, illnesses and often to an early death in animals such as camels, horses or ponies.

Germany should follow the example of other countries in this regard: Greece, Malta and Cyprus have already completely banned the keeping of animals in circuses.
According to a representative opinion poll, the majority of Germans (62 percent) are of the opinion that animals should not be kept and presented in mobile circuses at all.

“With this groundbreaking decision, Rodgau paves the way for a society in which the needs of animals are respected and they are no longer locked up to entertain paying visitors and involuntarily have to serve as circus clowns,” says biologist Dr. Yvonne Würz, PETA’s specialist for animals in the entertainment industry.
“A nationwide ban, at least on wild animals, is long overdue. Ultimately, all animal training must be banned in order to end animal suffering in the manege and circus wagons.”

Future without animal training

Successful circus greats prove that animal-free shows inspire spectators: Circus Roncalli, for example, said goodbye to wild animal training in the 1990s, took horses out of the program in 2018 and is now completely animal-free.
The company’s concept and future-oriented hologram technology are popular around the world.

PETA’s motto, in part, is: Animals aren’t there to entertain us.

TEXT: PETA

And I mean…The circus association wants to sue!!
The chairman of the Association of German Circus Companies, Ralf Huppertz, considers this ban to be unjustified and announces legal action.
According to Huppertz, daily training is healthy for the animals, body and mind are challenged. This also increases the general well-being of the animals.
According to Huppertz, lawsuits have already been successfully filed against many municipal bans on wild animals. This ban has no chance of enduring, he said.

Shall we bet, Mr. Hupertz?
That this time at least one German town, that of Rodgau does not give in to the pressure of the circus jugglers and circus animal tormentors?

My best regards to all, Venus