Mexico City is now the latest municipality to ban the use of animals in circuses.  The city council approved a law specifying fines of A$48,000 to A$64,000 for circuses that don’t comply.  But what the law doesn’t cover has circuses accusing lawmakers of hypocrisy.

Animal rights activists point to several undercover videos that they say prove that circus animals are mistreated, training them through intimidation and physical abuse.  Traveling from town to town chained up on trucks and trains is also inherently stressful for animals that naturally want to be in social groups.  Several states and cities in Mexico had previously approved such bans, which allow acrobats, clowns and other circus acts to continue.

But the law does not apply to water shows with dolphins.  Nor does it cover bullfighting – Mexico City has the world’s largest bullfighting ring, and let’s face it, the bull is always killed.  And it doesn’t mention Mexico’s traditional rodeos, known as “charreadas” – brutal spectacles during which horses and cattle suffer broken bones from which they must be euthanized.

Ringling Brothers says circuses are being unfairly singled out, and says they’ll likely just find venues outside the Federal District at which to perform.