Slovakia Bans Circuses from Using Elephants, Felines and Giraffes

Elephants, tigers, giraffes or bears. From November on, wild animals will no longer be used in circus performances in Slovakia.

This move comes as part of a wider international campaign. In Slovakia, it is also supported by law from September 2018, which defines an animal as a living and feeling creature.

The regulation includes a list of the animals prohibited for use during public shows, including felines, primates, elephants, hippos, rhinos, dolphins, and giraffes. The ban does not include domestic dogs, cats, and ferrets, but their training conditions have been modified by the regulation.

When training, it is not possible to use fire or narcotics and the animal cannot feel stress during the training. Public feeding, educational lectures at a zoo or falconry are not considered public performances.

The State Veterinary and Food Administration carries out controls over health and the good living conditions of animals. If the ban is breached, a fine up to 20,000 Euro will be imposed on the perpetrators.

More than 40 countries around the world currently have a ban on having wild animals (or at least some species) in circuses: 15 of them are in Europe.