In the latest legal assault on circuses, in August the Orange County, South Carolina county commission approved a ban on circuses and other forms of entertainment within unincorporated areas of the county.
The ordinance specifically forbids the “display” of elephants, camels, lions, tigers, dolphins and 11 other animals for entertainment purposes. According to a Chapel Hill Herald story on the ordinance, “display” is defined as “any exhibition, act, circus, public show, trade show, photographic opportunity, carnival ride, parade, race, performance or similar undertaking in which animals are required to perform tricks, fight, wrestle or participate in performances for the amusement or entertainment of an audience.”
As Orange County commissioner Barry Jacobs freely admitted to the Chapel Hill Herald, the legislation was pushed through for purely symbolic purposes. Jacobs said,
I realize in a lot of ways that we did was more symbolic than real, since there’s little evidence that we have circuses in Orange County. But I think sometimes it’s important to support principles that are brought forward to us by citizens or that we ourselves already espouse.
Source:
Orange County, South Carolina bans circuses. Rob Shapard, Chapel Hill Herald, August 16, 2001.