Animal Rights Activists to Protest Circus Animals Outside City Hall

FINANCIAL DISTRICT, NY — A handful of local animal rights organizations plan to rally outside City Hall Thursday morning to show their support for a bill banning circus animals in New York City, they said in a press release Tuesday. The City Council's Committee on Health will review the bill on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m.

The proposed legislation, introduced by Council Member Rosie Mendez three times, would ban wild or exotic animals with exemptions for zoos, museums, conservatories, animals displayed for religious purposes, and domesticated and companion animals.

Activists from Animal Defenders International, the Humane Society, Performing Animal Welfare Society and more will be marching outside City Hall starting 9:15 a.m. to show their support for getting rid of hoop-jumping tigers and dancing monkeys. Council Members Mendez and Corey Johnson will be at the rally as well in support of the legislation, which has nine backers in City Council.

Opponents of the bill, including circus employees, have said circus professionals are veterinarians, animal trainers and animal caretakers that care deeply about the animals and keep them healthy.

If the rally is anything like this anti-horse carriage rally in the Upper East Side a few days ago, there will be plenty of yelling:

Photo credit: chensiyuan/Wikimedia Commons/CC by 3.0