Protest had no effect on ticket sales, says Boswell
Circus insists it uses positive reinforcement to train animals
AFTER a campaign to encourage Nelson Mandela Bay residents to boycott the Brian Boswell Circus during its stint in Port Elizabeth, due to concerns about how animals are treated, circus staff say they have been unfairly persecuted and that it is not in their best interests to hurt their animals.
The circus, an annual visitor to the city during the festive season, performs its final show of the season tomorrow.
Former Port Elizabeth resident Karien van Schalkwyk, who works in Dubai but was back home visiting her family in December, launched a campaign when the circus arrived on December 15, printing pamphlets urging people not attend the circus and distributing them around the city.
The campaign was also highlighted on Facebook, on the Public Servants News Network and the Friendly City page. “Many people don’t know how cruel it is for these animals to be used in circuses, Van Schalkwyk told Weekend Post. “They go to circuses because of these sentimental memories they have of the circus.”
She said often in circuses around the world you would see animals jumping through fire hoops.
“It is not natural. When you go out camping, you use fires to keep the animals away.”
Van Schalkwyk claimed the animals were trained through violence and not positive reinforcement as Brian Boswell indicated on its website.
“If you look at the research, you cannot train a wild animal by using positive reinforcement.
She said an NGO, Public Watch, had conducted an undercover operation over a couple of days in 2008, observing the circus in Richard’s Bay.
“They observed that the animals there were chained to
Elephants] are taken for
walks, but they have to be controlled with sticks and whips. That is cruelty to animals
the trailer all the time.
“Yes it is better now because they have made a small camp for the elephants, but at the time, they did not have one.”
Van Schalkwyk said the NGO claimed the animals were controlled by spike sticks and whips all the time.
“If you proclaim that the animals are trained by positive reinforcement, then why do you have to use spike sticks and whips, why not sit with a bag of oranges?”
She said elephants drank large amounts of water a day and bathed themselves.
“Where can elephants do this? They live as herd animals, but now they are confined to such small spaces. They are taken for walks, but they have to be controlled with sticks and whips. That is cruelty to animals.”
Another Port Elizabeth resident, Eddie Vanpachtenbeke, who was also involved in launching the campaign, said circuses claimed their shows were educational.
“It is just to exploit animals, very barbaric. How can children learn from that?”
Vanpachtenbeke said that in most European countries, no wildlife animals could be used.
He urged PE residents to rather see the animals in their natural environment, at game reserves.
However, Brian Boswell’s daughter, Georgina Boswell, said ticket sales had not been affected by the campaign.
“There is always a small minority of people who attack the circus without ever visiting us. Why would these people stir up a hornets’ nest and persecute us. Our animals are beneficial for education and entertainment.”
A visibly emotional Boswell said if an animal was beaten everyday, it would bite you.
“It’s not in our interest to have a lion that is aggressive.”
She said the people who claimed they were violent to animals had not visited the circus.
“They want to throw stones, but don’t want to come to me or see the animals. The condition of the animals speaks for itself. I don’t understand how this handful of animals can get this kind of attention when they bring so much joy.”
She said the circus used positive reinforcement, for example by putting meat at the end of a stick to train a lion.
She said it was not possible to use your hands, but the stick was helpful as an extension of a person’s hand.
She said the instruments they used were not designed to harm the animals.
“The animals are well taken care of. If they were beaten, you would see scars or if they were restricted from exercising they would be fat.
Boswell said their tricks were similar to what the animals did in nature.