Watching an animal forced to perform unnatural actions, gripped by stress and stereotypies, is not entertaining — indeed, fewer and fewer people are going to the circus, and this kind of "show", a relic of a now distant era, is destined to disappear. Unequivocal confirmation comes from the report I circhi in Italia published by Censis (Centro studi investimenti sociali) on the initiative of Lav.

The numbers behind the circus crisis

It is now clear that circuses are unable to meet the minimum requirements for animal welfare, and that captivity in fact causes animals restrictions that are harmful to their cognitive and physical development and their normal social development. Audience numbers are in constant decline in Italy too, falling by 5 per cent, from 1,155,182 in 2010 to 1,096,695 in 2015. As a result, shows are also becoming increasingly rare: according to the Censis report, the number of shows fell by 11 per cent over five years, from 17,100 to 15,242. Public funding allocated to circus activities through the Fondo unico per lo spettacolo is also said to have fallen by 9 per cent.

The circus of the future

The modern and contemporary circus can only be animal-free, and will have to be based exclusively on human performers. The best-known example of this type of show is the Cirque du Soleil. "We need to reflect on a tradition that is deeply rooted in our country, because animals once gave life and strength to the circus, but now we must look forward," said Giorgio De Rita, secretary general of Censis.

Science against the circus

It is not only animal rights activists — often accused of taking an overly sentimental view of the issue — who oppose the anachronistic animal circus; zoologists, ethologists and vets also recognise the harmful effects of these shows on wildlife. The European Federation of Veterinarians and the Federazione nazionale ordine veterinari italiani consider it impossible to guarantee the physiological, social and ethological wellbeing of animals; indeed, the circus also represents a risk to human health, both through possible attacks and through the transmission of zoonoses.

Reform is needed

According to the authors of the study, a reform is needed that involves Italian circuses and helps ease the transition towards new types of show capable of attracting and entertaining audiences, without further exploiting and humiliating animals. "Should the reform not be approved, we hope that this survey will nonetheless help to improve legislation, setting in motion a transitional phase in the history of the Italian circus," said one of the study's authors, Sergio Vistarini of Censis.