Animal rights' groups are calling on the Education Division not to authorise schools to take children to a circus that will exhibit animals over Christmas.
The Circus Animal Rights Coalition - which is made up of 20 organisations including Moviment Graffiti, the Animal Rights Group, the Association for Abandoned Animals and SOS Animals - may decide to stage a protest against the use of animals in circuses, coalition coordinator Mary Grace Vella said.
The coalition yesterday reiterated its concern that animals in circuses were unwilling participants in a show that jeopardised their health and psychological well-being. The tricks they were forced to perform ran contrary their innate instincts, often through painful and punitive methods resulting in substantial injuries, they claimed.
A Facebook group started by the coalition has more than 800 members while almost 600 people have signed an online petition calling on the authorities to stop the circus from performing.
The coalition is opposing the arrival of Circo Fantasy, which is being brought over by JS Productions and will hold two daily two-hour shows in Blata l-Bajda between December 10 and January 3. Last month the coalition called on the authorities to stop the circus from performing in Malta.
However, when contacted, Animal Welfare Promotion and Services Department director Mario Spiteri said there were no outright bans on the use of animals in circuses.
Despite a drop in demand, he added, people still flocked to circuses that exhibited animals.
The department would be inspecting the circus to ensure that it observes EU regulations on health requirements for circus animals.
According to Silvio Zammit, from JR Productions, the Italian Circo Fantasy does abide by the regulations. More than 50 animals, including tigers, yaks, crocodiles, horses, ponies, lamas, snakes, ostriches, dwarf sheep, iguanas, anacondas and zebras will be taking part in the circus.
Fire eaters, magicians and acrobats will also be performing under a tent that holds up to 1,200 people.