Definitions

The following definitions refer to the Recommended National Circus Standards.

Animal: any member of the phylum vertebrata

Beast wagon: any wagon, truck, float or van intended for the transport and/or holding, and/or static display, of an animal or animals

Behaviour: any pattern of action and attitude assumed by an animal

Big cat: a large member of the cat family that has the ability to roar

Bridging signal: any signal discernible by an animal and originating from a handler or trainer that informs the animal that a desired behaviour has been completed satisfactorily

Box: any confinement facility that has a roof, four solid sides and a solid floor

Cage: any facility that enables close confinement of any animal and has at least one vertical side consisting of material that enables direct viewing of the contents of the facility

Camelid: any member of the camel family. For the purposes of this document comments concerning camelids include camels, llamas and alpacas.

Carnivore: any canid, felid or ursid

Cetacean: any whale (toothed or baleen)

Circus: any mobile establishment in which animals are held and exhibited to perform behaviours at the behest of human handler/trainers for the entertainment and/or education of the public

Command signal: any signal discernible by an animal and originating from a handler or trainer that informs the animal that a given behaviour should be performed

Disease: any condition suffered by an animal such that normally accepted parameters of health are not met

Distress: occurs when the animal's mechanisms for coping with stressors are being utilised but not over-extended. Signs of distress may include anxiety, elevated heart and respiration rates, aggression, aversion, frustration, boredom and displacement behaviours. A number of these signs are evident when an animal is experiencing a 'fight or flight' response.

Domestic animal: any of the various animals which have been domesticated by man, so as to live and breed in a tame condition

Enclosure: any facility which, by use of physical barriers, enables loose confinement of any animal within a given area

Fence: any structure that comprises a vertical physical barrier used either to prevent passage or to direct passage or any person or animal

Float: any towed wagon intended for the transport of animals while they are standing normally

Flooring: the solid component on the bottom of any cage, stall, float or enclosure

Handler: any individual engaged to attend to the physical placement, translocation or restraint of any animal, or who controls animals in an exhibition situation without modifying any hitherto existing behaviours

Harness: the combination of straps, bands and other parts forming the working gear of a horse or other animal

Holding park: a site containing permanent non-mobile facilities for the holding of circus animals that are not currently touring with the circus

Layover site: a site where animals on tour with a circus are held while the circus temporarily ceases performances

Negative reinforcement: punishment for failure to perform as required by the trainer

Pinniped: any seal, sea lion or walrus

Restraint: any method (be it physical, chemical or behavioural) of preventing an animal from performing an act or movement deemed undesirable at the time

Site: the area where the circus is to be situated

Stall: any enclosure that does not permit a standing animal to turn around

Stress: occurs when the animal's mechanisms for coping with stressors have been over-extended. This frequently results in increases in the animal's susceptibility to disease and reduces its capacity to grow and reproduce. Signs of stress may include hair loss, dermatitis, weight loss, stereotypic behaviour, abnormal ingestion, scouring, increased incidence of disease, self-mutilation, abnormal activity levels, catatonia, depression, elevated aggression levels, inhibited digestion, suppressed immune system and elevated corticosteroid levels.

Stressor: any factor that produces stress when experienced in excess, for example heat, cold, overcrowding, inadequate husbandry, social deprivation, pain and the inability to exhibit characteristic behaviours

Substrate: any bedding or litter placed on the flooring of a cage, box, stall or enclosure

Tethering: the tying of an animal to an anchorage

Trainer: any person who interacts with an animal with the purpose of inducing that animal to perform a desired behaviour, or to modify an existing behaviour, or to modify an existing behaviour in a desired fashion

Ungulate: any hoofed animal. For the purposes of this document comments concerning ungulates cover the commonly held circus ungulates (horses, donkeys, ponies, sheep, cattle and goats).

Welfare: a state of wellbeing which can be compromised by such things as disease, injury, pain, stress and deprivation.