By: ELOISE WALTON
FOLLOWING SEVERAL complaints from readers last week regarding the welfare of the lions at the Circo Atlas, a circus set up in the Largo da Feira in Lagos, The Resident set out to investigate the case.
Arriving on the site on an extremely hot day, it was possible to walk close to the lions’ enclosure. Inside could be seen three large lions asleep and segregated from a puma.
Other animals in the circus grounds included a camel, dogs, ponies, goats, a llama, cows and a very large horned bull.
All animals, although enclosed, were provided with shade, food and water and all appeared clean and healthy.
Before the evening show, circus owner Walter Dias spoke to The Resident. He said his family circus had a long history,
 The Circo Atlas ticket stand |
 |
beginning around 1890. He had started performing at the age of four, gradually learning every act in the ring, how to play musical instruments and how to train wild animals.
“I love animals, but they are caged for the public’s safety more than mine. I treat them all with dignity and respect,” he said. “Sadly, circus has a bad name when it comes to animals because of a few cruel people.”
Discrimination
Claiming his love for animals, Mr Dias compared his line of work with that of commercial animal farms, saying:
 Circo Atlas owner Walter Dias |
|
“My animals have a good life, they have veterinary care, are loved and fed, they are not brought up to be murdered and eaten.”
Mr Dias said that he feels frustrated by what he calls animal discrimination, saying: “It’s okay for Zoomarine to put sea creatures into small tanks and make them perform for crowds, or for people to keep birds and rodents in cages at home, but circuses are seen as cruel.”
Regarding an injured lion, a 116kg male named Bosário, Mr Dias said he was 11 years old and a bit shaky now as lions only live until 14 years of age, whereas a female named Nala is only four. “Poor Bosário, Nala wants him to father her cubs but he is too old and doesn’t want to,” said Mr Dias.
The lions’ show that evening was not one of cruelty, but of education for children. Mr Dias showed children how lions are trained with meat, a form of reward instead of the whip.
Circuses are exempt from many EU animal and health laws as they do not live on a permanent holding, meaning different laws apply in each member state.
Did you know…?
British circuses have very few wild animals and the government is finalising plans for a total ban this year. Around the world, some countries have achieved a total ban on the use of animals including Austria, Costa Rica, Israel and Singapore. Countries such as the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, India and Sweden have prohibitions on the use of certain species of wild animals in circuses, and Belgium, Estonia and Poland have prohibitions on the use of wild-caught animals in circuses.
Do you have a view on this story? Email: editor@portugalresident.com
