Big tops protest animal ban plan in Berlin
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BERLIN, Germany (Reuters) -- A procession of circus trucks snaked through the streets of Berlin on Wednesday in protest against plans to ban wild animals from their shows.
Around 140 circus trucks, with animal handlers on board, crawled around the capital bearing banners reading "A circus without animals is not a circus" and "50,000 jobs under threat" and sounding their horns.
"I've only ever worked with animals and wouldn't want to do anything else," said Robin Lauenburger, a 23-year-old animal tamer born into his family's circus.
The German government is investigating whether keeping animals in circuses is fair. Animal welfare campaigners across Europe want to close down circuses for what they say is cruelty to elephants, bears, chimpanzees and other wild animals.
Apart from losing his job, Lauenburger's main concern was what would be the fate of his monkey "Jacqui."
"She can't go back to a troop, she wouldn't be accepted. That's the problem with all circus animals, they were born among people. And zoos only take elephants," said Lauenburger, whose "Circus Berlin" also has camels, llamas, dogs and horses.
Germany's 350 circuses say the government should introduce stricter controls rather than ban wild animals from their big tops.
Copyright 2003
Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
