Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Act 2020

Prohibition on using wild animals in travelling circuses

1 Offence to use wild animals in travelling circuses

(1) A person who is an operator of a travelling circus commits an offence if the person uses, or causes or permits another person to use, a wild animal in the travelling circus in Wales.

(2) For the purpose of this section, a wild animal is used if the animal—

(a) performs, or

(b) is exhibited.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine.

2 Meaning of “operator”

In this Act, “operator” means—

(a) the owner of the travelling circus,

(b) a person other than the owner with overall responsibility for the operation of the travelling circus, or

(c) if neither of the persons mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) is present in the United Kingdom, the person in the United Kingdom responsible for the operation of the travelling circus.

3 Meaning of “wild animal”

(1) In this Act, a “wild animal” means an animal of a kind that is not commonly domesticated in the British Islands.

(2) Despite subsection (1), regulations may specify for the purposes of this Act a kind of animal—

(a) that is to be regarded as a wild animal;

(b) that is not to be regarded as a wild animal.

(3) In this Act, “animal” has the meaning given by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (c. 45) (see section 1).

(4) In subsection (1), “British Islands” means the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

4 Meaning of “travelling circus”

(1) In this Act, a “travelling circus” means a circus which travels from one place to another for the purpose of providing entertainment at those places.

(2) A “travelling circus” includes a circus which travels as mentioned in subsection (1) for the purpose mentioned there, despite there being periods during which it does not travel from one place to another.

(3) Despite subsection (1), regulations may specify for the purposes of this Act a type of undertaking, act or entertainment—

(a) that is to be regarded as a travelling circus;

(b) that is not to be regarded as a travelling circus.