Picket against animal abuse in circuses held in Volgograd

On June 1, a picket under the motto "For Russian circus without cruelty" that was held on the embankment of Volgograd brought together about forty protesters. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has learnt from Tatiana Ryabinova, the organizer of the picket and coordinator of the "Vita" Centre in Defence of Animals' Rights, that the picket of 30 people had been agreed with the authorities.

"We wanted to bring the truth about the use of animals in the circus to the people. This is barbarism and atavism. There is plenty of evidence that wild animals are not trainable without violence. They are taken out of the wildlife; many die at transportation; many of them do not perceive the training; and they are killed. In the circus, we see animals with broken will. They live in small cages in unnatural conditions and climate for the amusement of the public," said Tatiana Ryabinova.

Tatiana said that they disseminating leaflets among passers-by, which "opened the truth about animals in the circus." According to her story, some agreed with the protesters; others needed clarification of their position.

The "Caucasian Knot" wrote on May 17, 2010, that Volgograd ecologists had appealed to the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the State Duma of the Russian Federation seeking support in the fight against mobile zoos.