WELL KNOWN real estate group, REMAX, has announced the withdrawal of its sponsorship of the controversial reality TV show Circo das Celebridades, a programme currently being shown on Portuguese channel TVi, featuring celebrities training animals in a circus.
The move to withdraw sponsorship was taken after calls by animal rights organisations and scores of complaints from the general public. Protesters have been voicing their disgust for the cruel treatment of animals forced to work in circuses and the promotion of this form of entertainment already outlawed in many countries.
As soon as it became known that REMAX was sponsoring the show, Portuguese animal protection group, ANIMAL, immediately wrote to the company’s managing director enclosing a copy of a video showing animals suffering in Portuguese circuses, providing proof of the ongoing cruelty in this industry.
Not only did ANIMAL formally request that REMAX cancel its sponsorship of the show, it also asked its supporters to flood REMAX with e-mails and faxes, in order to shame the company into pulling out.
According to Miguel Moutinho, president of ANIMAL, “this is the first great public victory in the fight against the scandalous programme Circo das Celebridades produced by Endemol”. ANIMAL has congratulated REMAX on its decision to set the example.
ANIMAL is continuing to stage demonstrations outside the recording studios where the programme is filmed and is pressurising Credial and Cofaco, producer of the Atum Bom Petisco brand of tuna fish, to also cancel their sponsorship of the programme.
If you would like to support ANIMAL, visit www.animal.org.pt or call 222 038 640.
