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Animal Defenders International

Worldwide circus bans

Posted: 27 March 2006. Updated: 31 July 2009

EUROPE

Austria: Nationwide ban on the use of all wild animals.
Belgium: Nationwide ban on the use of all wild-caught animals.
Croatia: Bans on the use of all animals in 21 municipal jurisdictions.
Czech Republic: Nationwide partial ban
Denmark: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals, with exceptions.
Estonia: Nationwide ban on the use of all wild-caught animals.
Finland: Nationwide, partial ban on animals in circuses.
Greece: Bans on the use of all animals in 9 municipal jurisdictions.
Italy: All animal acts banned in Venice.
Malta: Ban on CITES-listed animals with exemption.
Poland: Nationwide ban on using wild-born animals in circuses.
Slovakia: Ban on the use of all CITES-listed animals in circuses.
Spain: Ban on wild animals in Barcelona and Blanes.
Sweden: Various wild species are banned including lions and tigers, but elephants are permitted.
UK: In 2006 the UK government made a commitment to ban certain non-domesticated species from circuses - this has not yet been fulfilled. Over 200 local authorities have bans on animal circuses (more than two thirds of these ban all performing animals, the remainder ban just wild animals). Many landowners have also banned circuses from key city centre and other sites.

NORTH AMERICA

USA: Bans in 20 localities; certain methods of animal control are prohibited in six localities.
Canada: Full or partial bans in 20 municipal jurisdictions.

SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina: Ban in Buenos Aires, commencing October 2006.
Brazil: 12 districts with partial or total bans, including a total ban in Rio de Janeiro.
Bolivia: Full ban on all animals (national ban followed bans in all major cities).
Columbia: Ban on wild animals acts in Dos Quebradas.
Costa Rica: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals.

OCEANIA

Australia: Partial or total bans in 34 districts.
New Zealand: Ban on circuses with exotic animals on council land in 3 districts.

ASIA

India: Nationwide partial ban.
Israel: Nationwide ban on all wild animal acts and full ban in 3 districts.
Singapore: Nationwide ban on wild animals in traveling circuses.

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