Although there were heartfelt international congratulations: When the Dutch ban on wild animals in circuses came into force this week, some worried voices were also heard.

The program manager of the UK branch of animal welfare organization Four Paws, Kieran Harkin, is one of them.

Referring to Northern Scotland – While we wholeheartedly congratulate the Netherlands on this legislation, we are concerned about what will happen to the 16 traveling circuses with 119 animals in the Netherlands. Will they go to England and Germany where they can continue to work?, he asked in an article on the UK’s Four Paws website.

At the same time, he advocates for the rest of Europe to end what he calls “outdated entertainment grounds”, thus ensuring that these animals get the care they need.

According to Four Paws, nine European countries have imposed bans on showing wild animals in circuses, including Austria, Greece and Belgium. Therefore, England is not among those countries, and therefore the five “big cats” must spend the winter in the north-east of Scotland, according to Four Paws.

Wave of sympathy The five cats were comforted by the extent of Scottish sympathy: according to another animal protection organisation, Peta UK, 98 per cent of Scots were in favor of a ban like the Dutch, compared with just 94 per cent of Scots who supported the ban. percent in England and Wales.