Rescue Of European Brown Bears

EDM number 98 in 2012-13, proposed by Graeme Morrice on 21/05/2012.
Categorised under the topic of Animal welfare.

That this House welcomes the recent rescue of three European brown bears, Carmen, Suzy and Peggy, from homelessness in Belgium and their relocation to Five Sisters Zoo in Polbeth, West Lothian; notes that the three bears were all born in captivity and spent more than 20 years living in cages barely bigger than themselves, while being transported around Europe as part of a circus troop; commends everyone involved in the fundraising appeal which allowed the bears to be relocated to their new home in West Lothian, which has a large built-in waterfall and stream with indoor and outdoor enclosures; believes that the terrible suffering of these bears underlines the significant welfare problems related to keeping wild animals in circuses; and calls on the Government to drop its plans for a licensing scheme and introduce an outright ban on wild animals in circuses instead, as unanimously agreed by the House on 23 June 2011.

This motion has been signed by a total of 35 MPs.