What would you rather see at the circus - a clown putting his head in a tiger's mouth or someone lifting weights with their nipples?

Bizarre human performers seem to be replacing the use of animals in big top shows.

Non-animal acts like the Circus of Horrors and the world famous Montreal-based troupe Cirque de Soleil both draw in big audiences.

Some might say this is hardly surprising after this week's conviction of leading circus trainer Mary Chipperfield, 61, for animal cruelty.

She was convicted of 12 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an 18-month-old chimp called Trudy, who was repeatedly beaten with a riding crop.

Now she is applying to have the chimp returned to her training centre.

Do you think the use of performing animals is tasteless?

Animal rights campaigners are highly critical of the lack of circus regulation, including the Chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on animal welfare, Ian Cawsey.

"It has got to the stage when it doesn't matter what the law is, you are never going to satisfactorily look after exotic and wild animals in the circus and really the whole practice should be ended," he said.

However Gerry Cottle, of the Circus of Horrors, thinks there are people who still believe animals are an integral part of the circus.

"Even with our radical circus we still get people saying it is not the same and asking where the elephants are," he said.

What do you think?

Should animals be banned from the circus?

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