The decision represents a radical change in the municipal policy of animal protection.
Sources from the council reported that the authorization is subject to specific conditions and documentation that the circus must present before the start of the activity.
The circus with animals returns to Spain: what it implies
To approve the circus with animals, the municipal government of Valencia imposed clear limits on the show.
The local administration denied permission to use crocodiles and snakes in the show “for going against current regulations”.
Initially, the circus had to expand documentation regarding the first request.
From the council, they warned that “a breach of any of the conditions would lead to the halt of the activity“.
The established conditions are of a “minor” nature, according to municipal sources.
However, compliance is mandatory to keep the authorization valid.
The opposition denounces a setback in animal welfare
Compromís called the decision “terrible” and noted that Valencia is regressing in animal welfare protection.
Councilor Gloria Tello recalled that the Animal Welfare Councilor himself, Juan Carlos Caballero, acknowledged weeks ago the validity of the September 2015 agreement.
That Government Board agreement prevented the granting of licenses to circuses with animals.
Tello hopes “that this insinuation that they will grant the license is a mistake” and asked María José Catalá to enforce that agreement.
The councilor considered that the green city received by the current government is turning “into a black and white city“.
Valencia had left behind animal shows “with great consensus and citizen support“.
The PSPV councilor, Maite Ibáñez, was even more forceful in her criticism.
“Catalá takes us back to a black and white city that supports animal abuse and outdated performing arts,” she said.
Ibáñez denounced that the city council “takes us back 10 years due to its denialism”.
The councilor pointed out that the decision was made “turning its back on professional circus entities, bypassing agreements and municipal ordinances“.
The socialist representative linked the measure to the influence of Vox.
“The Popular Party imposes animal abuse responding to the demands of Vox, who both in the Generalitat and with the city council are the ones who really pull the strings,” she explained.
For Ibáñez, this situation “does not deserve the education of the children in the city of Valencia”. The councilor questioned the educational model that authorizing shows with animals represents.
A debate that divides the city
The controversy over the circus with animals highlights conflicting positions in the municipal government.
On one hand, the granted authorization seeks to recover a Christmas tradition. On the other, sectors of the opposition see in this decision a setback in terms of animal rights.
The Circ de Nadal must strictly comply with the imposed conditions to maintain its license.
Any non-compliance will result in the immediate halt of the show.
The city now awaits the installation of the circus in the coming weeks.
The debate about animal welfare in public shows continues to divide opinions in Valencia.
