Mexico’s congress has passed legislation to ban the use of animals in circuses across the country.
The lower chamber’s vote Thursday followed one earlier in the week by the Senate and came six months after Mexico City passed a similar ban that is to go into effect next year. Six states also adopted bans.
The House of Deputies said in a statement that the chamber voted 267-66 to approve the bill aimed at combating mistreatment of animals. It calls for fines for violations and requires circuses to submit lists of the wildlife they possess, which would then be made available to zoos interested in taking the animals.
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The bill now needs the signature of President Enrique Pena Nieto. He hasn’t spoken about the proposal, but it’s expected that he will sign the bill that was introduced by an allied party.
The ban on circus animals in Mexico City earlier this year has resulted in several circuses ending operations in Mexico.
If signed, Mexico will become the ninth country in the world putting a ban on animals in the circus. Bolivia, Peru, Greece, Cyprus, Paraguay, Columbia, Netherlands, and Slovenia all have bans on wild animal performances.
Bullfighting has already been banned. We no longer have them!
La Paloma Plaza de Toros in Vallarta advertises a fight with the bull until death. I can buy tickets online at over 12 tour companies in Vallarta.
What about bullfighting? That’s more important in my opinion.
Agreed, the objective there is to kill the animal. If that is still practiced. I have never been to a bull fight and have no desire.
exactly — under no circumstances will I ever attend a bullfight
I have enjoyed the circus like most people and I worry what will now happen to the animals who performed, I think they have got the priorities wrong by not gone for bullfighting first.
Because still a majority of Mexicans support bullfighting and its cultural significance. To many it would be like getting rid of the taco. So at least they are making changes where they know the fight can be won. Bullfighting is still so huge in the mind of many Mexicans that a government move to make it illegal would probably not end very nicely. My opinion of course :P
They are winning a fight that is creating a scenario where many many circus are animals being put down, probably as we write these messages.