Work in your community to obtain a ban on animal acts

There are 29 municipalities across Canada that have chosen to ban animal acts in entertainment as a reslt of the efforts of concerned individuals just like you.

You too can mobilize public support and bring this issue to the attention of your town council by following a few simple steps. Bear in mind that the following pointers are intended to give you a basic sense of how to organize a campaign with the goal of an animal act ban. Please contact Global Action Network if you have more in-depth questions or concerns regarding starting your own initiative to help circus animals.

1. First identify whether your community already has a bylaw prohibiting animal acts in entertainment by calling your local city hall.

2.If there isn't a bylaw in place obtain contact details for your mayor and city councilor. Write both of them a letter requesting a municipal bylaw to prohibit animal acts in entertainment. Include in the letter the reasons to enact a ban (animal welfare, human health and safety) as well as any supporting documents (fact sheets, reports, letters of support). Conclude your letter by asking for a response. Click here for a sample letter. Click here for tips on writing to legislators.

3. Enlist the help of your friends and family and ask them to write letters as well. The more letters a councilor receives the more inclined s/he will be to give the issue serious consideration.

4. While you are waiting for a reply to your letter, gather letters of support from local organizations, businesses, prominent people, politicians, and anyone that you think would influence your local council. Have these letters ready in anticipation of a meeting with your councilor.

4. You should also start a petition while you await a response. Click here for a sample petition. Collecting signatures from local residents can be done door to door or at any public place (such as a nearby shopping mall). Ensure that everyone who signs your petition is an actual resident of your community.

5. Upon receiving a reply from your councilor, you should request a personal meeting. At this meeting, present your letters of support, petition and documentation supporting your request for an animal act ban. Click here to request an information pack and a video on circus animals from Global Action Network. The goal of this meeting is to have your councilor agree to put forward a motion to ban animal acts at the next council meeting. Also ask if you can make a short presentation to the city council in support of an animal act ban.

If your councilor puts forward a motion, your town council will likely delegate the issue to a sub-committee who will study the pros and cons, and render a recommendation to the town council. At this point, a vote will take place on the motion to ban animal acts in entertainment.

Throughout this entire process there are a number of things to keep in mind.

1. Always act courteously towards everyone you deal with, even those who are opposed to your initiative.

2. Keep your local media apprised of the situation and give them regular updates on your progress. Invite them to petition gathering sessions, meetings with your councilor and any presentations you make. Take whatever time is needed to brief local journalists on the many reasons why animal act bans benefit animals and people. Good media coverage is really important for gaining widespread support for your cause.

3. Don't take no for an answer! If your councilor won't support you, go out and get even more signatures from his/her voting constituents. Get the media to do a story on your councilor's unwillingness to represent his/her constituent's wishes. If your councilor still will not act, find friends or family members who live in alternate ridings. Start the process over again with their councilors.

4. Try to enlist the active support of influential people in your community. Veterinarians, doctors, celebrities etc. can be great allies and add impetus to your efforts.

5. Locate like-minded people in other areas of your community and get them to enlist the help of their area councilor. The more councilors you have on side prior to your town council voting on this issue the better.