Animal Defenders International (ADI)
December 2014
With your help we have secured the protection of animals around the world, particularly those who suffer in the name of entertainment, so join with me to count down our top ten magic moments from the past 12 months.
10. ADI's Operation Spirit of Freedom gets underway in Peru
Having won a ban on wild animals in circuses in Peru in 2012, 2014 was the
year the law was enforced – with ADI embarking on its most ambitious rescue
mission to save the animals. First, we tracked down the circuses with wild
animal acts and after months of planning and construction from scratch of a
temporary holding center we were ready to swoop. In early August we raided
the first circus in Huarral with the Peruvian authorities removing four
lions. In the following week ADI raided circuses all over Peru. We now have
a total of 30 lions and 10 monkeys, for whom the New Year will mark the
beginning of the rest of their lives.
9. Local bans passed on performing animals
Sowing the seeds for nationwide bans, ADI supports campaigns for bans on
either all animal acts or wild animals in cities and districts all over the
world. Throughout 2014, these continued to be secured by campaigners
worldwide, including Norway which saw its first ban, numerous districts in
Iran, Plymouth MA and Ketchum ID in the US, and more bans were secured in
Australia and Ireland with the Arts Council of Ireland slashing its funding
for animal circuses yet again.
8. ADI rescue Colombia's first banned circus animals
Colombia passed its wild animal circus ban last year following a six year
campaign by ADI supported by campaigners all over the country. The ban will
not come into force until next year, but already the first circus agreed to
hand over its animals and go animal free. Nine lions – Junior, Iron,
Bolillo, Barbie, Shakira, Easy, Bumba, Ojiclaro and Zeus – are all in ADI’s
care in Bucaramanga, northern Colombia. The lions will be joining the 21 we
have removed from circuses across Peru in our Operation Spirit of Freedom
mission and who have a wonderful future ahead of them in the US – but that
means a huge relocation operation to Peru followed by the epic flight to
Colorado!
7. Lion Ark Roars
2014 was the year Lion Ark roared, scooping up multiple awards at film
festivals, standing ovations and a nomination from the world’s oldest civil
rights organization, the NAACP. The story of ADI’s rescue mission to enforce
Bolivia’s ban on animals in circuses is that rare thing, an animal
protection documentary that does not pull its punches, is exciting, but
above all else has a happy ending! The story where the animals are the stars
received critical acclaim and secured a global distribution deal with ITV
Global who showcased Lion Ark in Cannes and plan to take the story of the
lions into living rooms worldwide in 2015. The Spanish version, Arca de
Leones, opened in Bolivian cinemas with massive media interest and
politicians responding saying zoos should be banned next! Lion Ark is a film
that creates awareness, inspires and leaves you with a smile on your face
and in 2015 we hope it will be seen by many more people.
6. ADI cuts Pepe free from his chains
The circus broke off his teeth, so he could not defend himself, and they
kept him on a chain attached to a collar permanently wired around his neck.
But Pepe the spider monkey’s life changed the day ADI rescued him from a
circus in Cuzco, Peru. The ADI team travelled with him for over 35 hours
over the Andes back to the ADI Spirit of Freedom Rescue Center near Lima.
There ADI President Jan Creamer and Vice President Tim Phillips led little
Pepe by the hand to his new enclosure and, still holding his hand, cut the
chains from his neck. Pepe has received specialist dental treatment to
relieve the pain and repair the damage caused by having his canine teeth
snapped off in the circus, and he swings and plays in his enclosure. If
freeing Pepe from his chains was one of the most magical moments of 2014,
then 2015 has even more in store for Pepe as ADI takes him to his forever
home to meet more of his own kind.
5. Circus bans sweep Europe
The tide is turning on animal circuses and 2014 has seen yet more bans on
wild or all animals in circuses. Belgium, Estonia and The Netherlands all
passed legislation prohibiting wild animal acts whilst Malta banned all
animals in circuses! We are winning for the animals and will be continuing
our work with our campaign partners across the continent to secure further
victories in 2015!
4. Smith saved!
Smith is the lion who cheated death! When the ADI team raided Circo Monaco
in Cuzco, there was a fierce confrontation and the rescue of all the animals
was blocked. ADI were allowed to rescue three lions (Rey, Amazonas and
Kiara) but three others, Smith (a large castrated male lion who had been
separated from his cagemate Amazonas) and cubs Mahla and Scarc remained.
They seemed doomed. Then days later in an incredibly irresponsible act, the
circus invited a member of the audience into the ring for Smith to jump
over. When Smith leapt on the teacher and dragged her around the ring like a
rag doll, it was all caught on camera and the shocking images shot around
the world. There were calls for Smith to be killed. But ADI fought to save
him and journeyed back across the Andes to Cuzco. Days later Smith was safe
with ADI and ADI reunited mother Kiara with her cubs Mahla and Scarc. Smith
has calmed down and is one of the most playful of the ADI lions waiting for
their flight to the USA.
3. Panama bans wild animals in circuses
Last year, El Salvador followed Costa Rica in banning wild animals in
circuses and in February 2014 Panama became the latest Central American
country to ban wild animal acts. With bans in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru and Paraguay passed since 2009 the momentum in Latin America is
incredible.
2. Mexico bans wild animals in circuses
Heralding one of the biggest breakthroughs in the campaign to stop circus
suffering, Mexico passed legislation to ban the use of wild animals in
circuses in December 2014 with an overwhelming majority. ADI stood shoulder
to shoulder with campaigners all over Mexico presenting evidence to
Congress, calling for the ban, and we have been asked by the Green Party in
Mexico to help promote the ban and the fines circuses with wild animals
face. A huge victory at the end of the year, a tribute to all those who
campaigned, held placards, gave out leaflets, and an inspiration to everyone
fighting for real progress around the world.
1. ADI empties Peru's circuses of animals
It was dark and the ADI team was exhausted as the holding cages of lions
were unloaded from our trucks at the ADI Spirit of Freedom Rescue Center in
November, but it was a momentous day. These were Peru’s last wild animals in
circuses. The last circus had handed over its two lions to ADI and pledged
it would go completely animal-free. Since campaigning for and securing the
ban, ADI had set about the task of tracking down every circus with wild
animals. We had travelled thousands of miles and when seizing animals with
the Peruvian authorities had faced abuse and resistance. We had built a
holding center for lions, monkeys and other animals from scratch and we had
brought animals from every corner of this huge country there. That night in
November, ADI’s President turned from the lion’s cage being unloaded and
announced “There are no wild animals left in Peru’s circuses, we have them.”
As staggering as this achievement was it was just part one, now ADI must
care for these animals – 30 lions and over a dozen other animals – prepare
new homes and relocate them thousands of miles to their forever homes. ADI
won’t be resting in 2015 – that’s for sure! Cage-shove-200x150
It can take many years to win change for the animals so our long-term commitment, and your continuing support, is vital in saving lives – as shown by the momentum generated by our Stop Circus Suffering campaign in Latin America where our groundbreaking 2-year investigation has been instrumental in securing a growing numbers of bans across the region.
Having won the bans in Peru and Colombia, we are now bringing the animals to sanctuary and will be transporting them to their forever homes in the New Year. PLEASE HELP US BY DONATING!
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