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A campaign group is calling on residents to boycotts Peter Jolly's wild animal circus when it comes to town this week, claiming the welfare of the animals is compromised.

But the family-run circus has hit back at allegations of animal suffering and said that the claims by the campaign group are unfounded.

Animal Defenders International (ADI) say wild animal circuses are outdated and overwhelmingly opposed by the public and animal experts.

Jan Creamer, President of Animal Defenders International, said: “Animal Defenders International has repeatedly documented the suffering and abuse of animals in circuses.

"Circuses simply cannot meet the needs of animals in small, mobile accommodation. You can help stop the suffering – don't go to a circus with animals.”

Peter Jolly's Circus, which is in Retford from August 2 - 6, is one of just two travelling shows to still feature wild animal acts.

And campaigners says they are unable to provide animals with adequate facilities to keep them physically or mentally healthy.

But Peter Jolly Jnr, 44, who has been involved with the travelling circus all his life, says they are subject to rigorous inspections and have nothing to hide.

"It's their agenda they are pushing basically," he said

"We are licenced by the secretary of state and we have three inspections a year by DEFRA and and another four by our own lead vet.

"The accusations are completely wrong. Our animals are not kept in cramped conditions and we don't travel huge distances so the animals are not travelling hundreds of miles.

"They are well cared for and the accusations are far from the truth. They are part of the family and we do get very attached to them.

"Every animal has it's own care plan and retirement plan and I think the ADI miss a lot of the point - it's propaganda.

"Who are they to tell the people of Retford what they can and can't do."

The British Veterinary Association support a ban on wild animals in travelling circuses, saying "the welfare needs of non-domesticated, wild animals cannot be met within a travelling circus."

But no such ban has been put in place by the Government who instead introduced a licencing bill.

The ADI cite research conducted at Bristol University that they say concluded that life for wild animals in circuses "does not appear to constitute either a good life or a life worth living".

And in a consultation by DEFRA carried out after the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, 94.5% of respondents considered that a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses would be the best option to achieve better welfare standards.

Thirty-five countries around the world have introduced prohibitions on animals in circuses to date, according the ADI.

"Despite assurances from the circus industry that animals are well cared for, the physical and psychological health of animals in circuses is inevitably compromised," a spokesperson for the campaign group said.

"Animals in circuses can also be subjected to brutal training methods and violence – wherever ADI has conducted an undercover investigation in the UK and around the world it has documented acts of abuse."

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