Very upsetting

I was happily watching GMTV this morning whilst eating my breakfast, when they featured another Born Free Foundation appeal to free three lions in a French circus. I'm actually welling up writing this entry but earlier I was sobbing my heart out for those beautiful creatures. Being a life long animal lover and having seen lions in the wild, I can't think of anything much more cruel than caging these animals up in the searing heat, and then having to perform to mindless people who should know better than to support such a terrible thing, all in the interests of 'entertainment'. It makes me so angry I could scream.

This is taken directly from Born Free's website:

"Becks", "Rooney" and "Stevie G" as we affectionately call them are three lions currently held at Circus Ullman, touring near Riberac in the Dordogne, France. They live in a beast wagon that measures approximately 18ft x 6 ft x 8 ft high, divided into 3 compartments. That’s the sum total of their world, a few square feet in a beast wagon.

According to the local authorities Circus Ullman does not have a permit to keep these lions and has instructed the circus to surrender them to the Born Free Foundation and One Voice. This is our chance to rescue them and relocate them to a new home in Shamwari, South Africa. The alternative would be life in another circus.

There are two females, Nala and Shada, (eight and 15 years old), and Jengka, a male thought to be at least 15 years old.

They're Coming Home!

We do not know when they first came to Circus Ullman but records show that they have been held captive there for several years. In the last 12 months, One Voice, the campaigning French animal welfare group, has been working with the authorities to reach a long-term solution for Shada, Nala and Jengka. If we are able to rescue them and send them to our sanctuary in South Africa, they will share a large natural bush enclosure of several acres – and enjoy life under the African sun – a far cry from their tiny beast wagon and the cold European winter.

While we know they have been allowed to breed in the past, fortunately, all three are being kept separately at the moment. In Shamwari, the females will be given contraceptives to prevent further unwanted cubs being born – there are so few good sanctuary spaces available in the world, and these must be saved for rescuing big cats in urgent need.

The costs of rescuing these lions is going to be about £30,000 and it will cost about £2,000 per year to look after, care for, treat and feed each lion.

Needless to say, I've already sent my donation and I can't wait to hear the news that these poor animals have been freed. I'm sure after the exposure on GMTV, it will be achieved.