POSITION STATEMENT ON ANIMAL WELFARE 

 The Circus Fans Association supports the performance and exhibition of circus-type wild and domesticated animals when such animals are trained and treated with kindness. Man always has interacted with animals and circus acts that feature their natural beauty, grace and athletic ability inspire public interest in animals and, consequently in their well-being and preservation. 

The Circus Fans Association attests to the remarkable record of circuses in breeding wild animal, among them Asian elephants, hippopotamuses, giraffes, camels, zebras, antelope and the great cats. Cooperative breeding loans can be, and are, arranged with zoos and other institutions to help preserve endangered species. 

The Circus Fans Association believes that animals in the circus, because of the exercise and stimulus provided, often live longer than their counterparts in static environments and almost always longer than those in the wild. Circus animals, no doubt, are healthier psychologically because of the training they receive and their association with the humans who care for them. 

The Circus Fans Association does not accept the tenet that there is no real qualitative difference between humans and animals. The CFA supports the argument that ethical theory acknowledges the legitimate use of animals while also recognizing the deeply held concerns that animals not be abused or mistreated. 

The Circus Fans Association makes a distinction between animal rights and animal welfare. The CFA believes that animals in the care of humans are entitled to adequate food, veterinary care, comfortable quarters and humane treatment. 

While acknowledging there may be persons within the circus industry who do not agree with this position, the Circus Fans Association stands solidly against the abuse or exploitation of animals within or without the circus and encourages its members to boycott any entertainment guilty of such dereliction.