Ban the Use of Wild Animals in Circuses in Spain After Elephant Dies in the Name of 'Entertainment'

An elephant was killed today in the streets of Spain. That's a headline that we should never have to read. But when governments allow animals to be used as entertainment, tragedies like this can — and do — often happen.

Five innocent elephants, forced to work in a circus, were tossed from their trailer when the truck carrying the pachyderms lost control trying to overtake another vehicle. One lost its life, two others were injured and the others escaped without any physical injuries.

Yet, whether or not the elephants experienced any physical pain, what is certain is that these beautiful creatures are suffering mentally. Circus elephants are often sent on the road for hours at a time, traveling from one location to the next. Their trainers often use cruel methods to train them and coerce them into doing tricks they would never do in the wild.

And now, an elephant has lost its life all for the sake of "entertainment."

While city, state, and national governments have been banning the use of animals in entertainment all across the world, Spain hasn't gotten the memo.

It's time for Spain to join its European allies like Italy, Belgium, Austria, Sweden and Portugal and a whole host of other national and local governments in ending the animal entertainment industry. Please sign the petition and ask Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey to end the suffering. Ask him to ban the use of animals in circuses in Spain.