MEYERTON.- The McLaren Circus, South Africa’s only remaining traditional circus based in the town, came under fire last week over the condition of their camels.
An uproar broke out over a photo spread on social media of a camel that looked emaciated.
The circus was from November 18 to 29 in Atlasville in Boksburg where they held numerous performances.
The Boksburg Animal Protection Association (SPCA) said in a statement last Tuesday, 24 November that they had received numerous complaints from animal lovers about the condition of the camels and therefore decided to issue a warning to the owner of the McLaren Circus, David McLaren, to rig.
“Animals do not deserve to be treated like products. They are “sentient” beings and deserve to be respected for who they are, “reads an excerpt from the statement issued by the SPCA.
People insisted on social media that the animals be confiscated.
However, in a statement issued by the McLaren Circus last Tuesday, November 24, the circus assured the public that their camels are horse-fresh and healthy.
We are aware of the photo that is being spread on social media and are also aware of the objections surrounding these doctored photos (the circus used the word “altered” to describe the photo).
“We would like to assure the public that this photo is not a true reflection of any of our camels.
“It is also important to keep in mind that the SPCA carried out a thorough and prior inspection of our premises on 20 November. “During this inspection or after, no one raised any objections to the condition of our camels or brought anything to our attention,” an excerpt from the statement read. “As always, we stay in touch with private veterinarians to ensure that we maintain exceptional animal welfare. “Our beloved animals are currently our biggest priority and it will always be so. “We invite members of the public to visit our animals and see for themselves how they are treated.
“People who want to visit the animals to see how they are doing are requested to send us an email to karl@mclarencircus.co.za.”
