One of the biggest debates raging at the moment is not the water electricity bills, nor is it the potential collapse of the European Union. It is about animal rights, or lack thereof.

The Animal Rights Coalition is planning a march to support the rights of animals in the coming days, against a circus which is currently in Malta. It would be foolish to base the argument on pure emotions. We have seen in the past that people have often gone on the warpath and accused circuses of mistreating or neglecting animals, and this is not the correct way to go about things.

The correct debate is that which examines whether animals being kept in captivity and shipped around the world, is acceptable to us as a society or not. Many people think that being cruel to an animal means not feeding it or beating it. But it goes beyond that. Cruelty to animals can be as simple as, for example, taking a big cat and putting it into a cage between performances. Some might argue that the animals might have been born in captivity. True, this is a valid argument. However, there is a big difference between an animal living in a spacious enclosure, and an animal being put in a small cage. We must also look at the fact that these animals are made to perform. They are made to do things which do not come naturally to them. They are turned into clowns, for the amusement of the masses.

Of course, many might say that if you don’t like it, just don’t attend. But people seriously do underestimate the wave of animal rights awareness that has swept over Malta. While we still do see terrible cases of cruelty, awareness is really growing, and it is the young children who are taking the lead and becoming the teachers.

Some parents argue that taking their children to see animals at the circus is their only opportunity to ever see them. But isn’t it the same for everyone? Of course, each unto their own, but does taking the children to see the animals not put in direct conflict everything which they are learning at school, that is to respect the natural environment and to try and conserve this polluted and pillaged planet as best we can?

In all probability, those same parents who make this point simply want to see the animals themselves and this is why they do it. The Animal Rights Coalition makes a valid point in the letter published on the right-hand column. The most successful and popular circus in the world is one which does not feature animals. Perhaps it is about time for the government to put its money where its mouth is and have a serious debate about whether animal circuses should be allowed into the country or not. We cannot, on the one hand, promote animal rights, set up animal hospitals and come crashing down on cases of abuse and neglect, while at the same time, giving a blessing to animals, such as big cats, which are kept in a completely unnatural environment. We reiterate, the handlers probably love these animals as much as we love our pets. They are probably also well fed and fussed over. But they should not be in cages and they should not be ferried around the world in containers.

Keeping wild animals in captivity for the enjoyment of a gawping crowd is simply, wrong.