Naked Woman-Chained And ‘Beaten’ Protests The Arrival Of Animal Act Circuses In Belfast

ARAN Beauty Bares All, Including Truth Behind Circus’s Phony Claims

For Immediate Release:
April 19, 2006

Contact:
John Carmody 087-6275579 / 0787-6630722

Belfast – Wearing nothing but shackles and covered in “scars” and “bruises” as a result of violent “beatings” an everyday for animals in circuses, ARAN member Karolina Kostrzewa will expose the arrival of animal act circuses into Belfast. She will be joined by protesters holding a banner that reads, “shackled, lonely, beaten,” while others show undercover video footage of circuses touring Ireland and Northern Ireland and others holding posters that read ‘Stop Circus Suffering’.

Date: Wednesday, 19 April
Time: 12.00 noon
Place: Front of City Hall, Belfast City Centre

In order to force wild animals to perform stressful and often painful acts, trainers use metal bullhooks, whips, muzzles and electric prods. These horribly cruel training methods are commonly used in Irish circuses all over the country. This is part of ARAN’s ongoing campaign around the country to show the misguided public that, animals in circuses have being taken from the wild at some stage in their life for a lifetime of boredom, misery, cheap tricks and cruelty. Animals in circuses really are not volunteers; they are slaves, confined to their ‘beast’ wagons for some 23 hours a day with no room to exercise compared to that of their homes in the wild. Animals in circuses regardless of them being ‘born’ in the circus, still have the instincts of their fellow companions in the wild, they like to roam for miles, go hunting for food and vegetation and raise their young. ARAN will also be distributing DVD’s of a recent undercover investigation into circuses by Animal Defenders International that show’s shocking cruelty, neglect, abuse, beatings and horrid conditions.

"If it takes exposing some of my skin to expose the cruelty that goes on behind the scenes at the circus, I’m happy to do it," says Karolina. "I only have to spend a few minutes in chains, while animals in circuses must endure a lifetime of chains, cages, and beatings."

Broadcast-quality video footage and pictures of animals abused in circuses is available. For more information, please visit www.ad-international.org

ENDS