Oh what a circus!

I read in The Times (November 26) that the circus is taking court action against the Education Department. They say the department's ban on organised school visits to the circus implies cruel treatment to the animals, which is not true.

These animals are forcibly taken from their natural environment and imprisoned in cages for the rest of their performing lives. If that isn't cruelty then I don't know what is. Perhaps, if these circus people were to spend some time in one of their cages removed to an alien environment and forced to perform they might change their minds on what cruelty means.

In fact, only recently on TV, someone who'd spent some years in prison said: "The most precious thing in life is freedom." One question I would like to ask the circus is: What happens to these animals once their performing days are over due to illness or old age? I would really appreciate reply as no answer would lean me fearing the worst.

As for their case against the Education Department, as far as I can see they have every right to run their department as they see morally fit. They are not telling the children themselves or their parents not to visit the circus but only that the schools/Education Department themselves refuse to support what they and many others consider is morally wrong.

Last year, there was an animal-free circus. I and many others went to see it and enjoyed it. Why not this year?