Ever since the barbaric games of the Roman Empire, and probably since weapons first allowed man mastery over wild animals, humans have enjoyed the suffering of animals. But Evo Morales, President of Bolivia has taken the first step towards ending the immoral practice of animal suffering as entertainment. He signed the world's first national law that prohibits the use of wild and domestic animals in traveling circuses. So far Croatia, Singapore, Austria, Israel and Costa Rica have banned wild animals in circuses. Evidence supporting passage of the legislation was provided by Animal Defenders International as the result of an undercover investigation. Investigators found animals abused by circus trainers, confined to tiny wire cages [photo] and pregnant female lions forced to perform while pregnant. Circus animals kept by marginal entertainment enterprises all over the world are often confined in unsanitary and cruel conditions so poor that they clearly constitute animal abuse. The Bolivian Congress was presented with a report on the scientific evidence of suffering titled "Alto al sufrimienteo los circos en Sudamerica" Under the new law circuses are allowed one year to adapt their shows to humans performers only. GREEN KUDOS to the Bolivian government for their heroic advance in animal welfare.[photo: ADI]