Scottish Star Calls On Lawmakers To Ban Wild Animals In Circuses

Robert Carlyle Urges Cabinet Secretary to Stop Trainers From Chaining Animals and Beating Them Into Performing

Glasgow – Actor Robert Carlyle – who has starred in films such as Trainspotting, The Full Monty and The World Is Not Enough as well as the smash-hit TV series Once Upon a Time – has set his sights on the Scottish cabinet secretary, teaming up with PETA to pen a letter urging him to spare animals the heat of the spotlight by implementing a ban on wild animals in circuses. The move comes on the heels of a recent government consultation poll that showed that the overwhelming majority of respondents support a ban.

"The Scottish public's opinion on wild animals used in circuses has been voiced loud and clear, as 98 per cent of respondents to the government's consultation supported a ban", writes Carlyle. "It's time that animal circuses joined bearbaiting and cockfighting in the dustpan of antique abuses that no longer entertain us."

As PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to use for entertainment" – points out, animals experience extreme stress and deprivation in captivity. Countless investigations show that circuses beat, shock, chain and whip elephants, lions, bears and other wild animals to intimidate them into performing confusing tricks. Carlyle joins many other actors who've called for a ban on wild animals in circuses, including actor Dougray Scott, Michael Sheen, and Martin Freeman.

Robert Carlyle's letter is available on request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.