A udhungret and abused lion, who almost can’t move in his cage, and which has clear markings of the ribs through the coat and a deep wound on an almost pelsløs tail. How to found dyrerettighedsforkæmpere cirkusløven Jon in the vestfranske town of Vironvay.
– This animal has suffered enormously, says Muriel Arnal from major animal welfare group One Voice to Reuters.
– the Lion’s claws are pulled out and the teeth are sanded down. It is worse than the lions from the zoos in war zones, she continues.
the Lion Jon weighed about half of his normalvægt, when it was removed from the French circus. Photo Credit: News Agency Ritzau.
Muriel Arnal explains that the lion, named Jon, never left the small metalbur, as it was not used in the circus, but were solely used for reproduction.
the Lion Jon is now removed from the circus. And when he has been treated his injuries, waiting for a place in a reserve in south Africa.
There were a total of five lions in the French circus, which only had permission for four lions – and the other four lions remain in the cirkuset.
According to the circus – and løveejeren it has not been possible to provide enough food for Jon because of coronaudbruddet.
It is more than 50 years ago, that it was forbidden to keep the beasts in the circus.
Only three large, wild mammals – elephants, sea-lions and zebras – have been able to engage in cirkusers animal husbandry. In 2018, it was completely banned with wild animals in the manege and cirkusvogne.
In France, however – as one of the only countries in Europe – is still legal to have wild animals in the circus.
