The Circus Animal Rights Coalition is calling on the authorities not to allow Circo Fantasy to perform in Malta.

The coalition includes a number of animal welfare organisations who united to express their disappointment and concern at JS Productions' intention to bring over Circo Fantasy, which in 2006 was found guilty by the Italian authorities of not conforming with minimum animal welfare regulations.

It said it was dismayed that notwithstanding the public's opposition to the exploitation of animals in circuses, this company persisted to profit from this form of animal cruelty year after year.

The coalition said that behind the glitz of the circus lay a cruel world of untold animal suffering.

Animals used in circuses were unwilling participants in a show that jeopardised their health and psychological well-being.

Circuses forced animals, often through painful and punitive methods, to perform tricks that were contradictory to their innate instincts and behavior, causing them substantial injuries during performance and training..

Animals in circuses also had to sustain long distance travelling to arrive to the performance destination, during which they were often kept in unsuitable and precarious conditions.

The climate of the locality area could also be unsuitable for their natural temperament causing them undue suffering.

These factors exacerbated the already stressful conditions caused by confinement and transportation.

But even if conditions were improved and humane methods of training were used, keeping wild animals in captivity deprived them of what they valued in life.

The animals had to live in an environment drastically different from their natural habitat, and their spirits were broken from harsh training and from not being able to fulfill some of their most basic needs and instincts, the coalition said.