Cristina Hodgson
CIRCUSES with wild animals have at last been excluded from the list of cultural activities eligible for government grants.
In 2019, the Ministry of Culture gave circuses three years to stop using wild animals in their shows, informing that, to the contrary, these circuses would cease to be eligible for subsidies through the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM).
Over the last three years, there has been a focus on supporting talented human artists who, unlike the animals, have a choice whether to perform.
Additionally there has been a focus on a ‘retirement’ plan for the circus animals who will no longer be used in circus acts.
That said, for the rest of this year, circus tours with animals on foreign territory are still eligible.
The InfoCircos platform considers this change in the subsidies a significant ‘victory’.
Since 2016 InfoCircos has worked hard to see Spain ban the use of wild animals in circuses, and together with actresses Natalie Seseña and Lluvia Rojo, InfoCircos handed over to INAEM more than 100,000 signatures collected in one month against public subsidies for circuses with wild animals.
According to the animal rights campaigners, who have welcomed the cut in funding for animal circuses from INAEM, there are still three Spanish circuses that continue to use wild animals.
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