I FIND it impossible to understand, as part of a supposed educated and forward-thinking nation, the need for performing animals and the desire to watch them.

I’m sure the four-year-old daughter of your correspondent "Mrs D" loved the show – she’s only four and doesn’t know any better!

It is our duty as parents to educate our children, and to take her daughter to watch this spectacle is simply condoning it.

Thankfully, through education and campaigning, the majority of society have learned degrading animals in this way is unacceptable. I have brought my children up to respect all creatures, great and small.

Although I appreciate the animals in the circus are cared for and have their basic needs met, I firmly believe this sort of “entertainment” should be confined to the history books.

Are these animals performing in the circus by choice?

Does their environment in any way represent their natural habitat?

Are they part of a conservation programme?

Are they in captivity for their own good?

They are there purely to make money for the circus owners and those who find this sort of twisted show entertaining really should look at the wider picture.

M Soakell by email.