You may be among the supporters who have recently contacted us to express your horror at plans to host camel racing, a mobile zoo, and a strange performance in which birds of prey are trained to fly through a horse’s legs at this year’s Todmorden Country Fair. If you are, thank you. Whether you have heard about this fair yet or not, we need you to take action to oppose this cruelty.

At Freedom for Animals, we oppose all forms of animal exploitation, and we know you will join us in opposing the cruel plans for this year’s Todmorden Country Fair. Today, we are launching a public action to allow supporters and members of the public to easily contact the fair’s organisers to voice their disgust at the cruel ‘entertainment’ planned for this year. 

The plans, and what’s wrong with them, are outlined below:

Camel Racing

The fair has hired camels from ‘Joseph’s Amazing Camels’, a business that has their roots in animal circuses. They are describing the racing as “like Cheltenham… but with more humps” - Cheltenham festival exploits and kills horses every year. Camels are sensitive animals who deserve better than to be raced for public ‘entertainment’. Camels are also subject to licensing for Dangerous Wild Animals as they are unpredictable and can pose a potential risk to the public - particularly when stressed.

Walk on the Wild Side Animal Encounters

This is a mobile zoo that will bring wild animals to be held, poked, and prodded by the public in a loud and scary environment. Our recent report demonstrates that exotic animals have very particular welfare needs which cannot be easily met in captivity, if at all. These animals are not domesticated like cats and dogs and can suffer stress, fear, and ill health as a result of regular forced handling and inadequate accommodation. Any animals used in displays can become frightened or stressed by being in unnatural, busy, and noisy environments. Even being transported to the event is a known source of stress.

Free Spirits Live Horse and Falcon Experience

This performance combines equestrian dressage with falconry, and boasts that falcons fly through the horse’s legs at 100mph. There is growing opposition to dressage skills due to the difficult and unnatural positions they force horses into. The combination of falconry with this adds another disturbing element to the display. It is common to use distressing tactics such as tethering, starvation, and removal of newly hatched chicks from their parents to encourage birds of prey to comply with training, something we have documented at numerous falconry centres.

Country fairs such as this are intended to be a way for locals and visitors to celebrate rural life and its traditional heritage. However, there is nothing traditional about these bizarre and exploitative forms of ‘entertainment’. Please use our form to write to the organisers today, and ask them to cancel these performances.