No Award For Circus Animal Welfare

A complaint that an advert for a traveling circus, which read: GREAT BRITISH CIRCUS Awarded BEST CIRCUS with ANIMALS, implied that the award had been given by an animal welfare organisation, has been rejected by the Advertising Standards Agency, (ASA).

The award had been presented to the circus by the Circus Friends Association of Great Britain in 2003, 2004 and 2006 - each following a vote of its membership.

The ASA rejected the complaint that the advert implied that the award had been given by an animal welfare organisation - because no such animal welfare award exists.

So.. why not?

While we still have animals in circuses, should there not be a recognition of best animal welfare practices?