From 1 December 2020, travelling circuses will no longer be able to use wild animals in performances under the Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Act, which came into effect on Monday, 7 September.
The Chair of the Senedd Petitions Committee, Janet Finch-Saunders MS, has issued the following statement:
"This is the culmination of a long-running and determined campaign by a great many people in Wales and this Committee is pleased to see their efforts recognised today.
"Part of that campaign was a petition, signed by more than 6000 people, calling for a ban. The Committee brought the petition to the attention of the Welsh Government which introduced legislation to the then National Assembly for Wales.
"This shows the impact democracy and the Senedd's petitions system can have in highlighting important issues and effecting real change.
"I congratulate the petitioners and their supporters for their unstinting campaigning."
The petition was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 23 January, 2018.
The petition was debated by the then National Assembly for Wales on 7 March 2018.
The Committee agreed to close the petition on 25 September 2020 following the Welsh Government's commitment to bring forward legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses in the next 12 months.
The Welsh Government introduced the Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Bill on 8 July 2019.
The Bill was agreed by the Senedd on 15 July 2020.
More information about the petition can be found here.
More information about the Senedd's petitions system can be found here.
More information about the Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Bill can be found here.
