In support of the prevention of cruelty to animals, this circus in Germany has completely stopped using real animals in their live shows.

Circus Roncalli
So what’s a circus without animals? Well, it’s even better than you could have imagined – the Circus Roncalli treats its audiences to a spectacular animal show with the use of holograms.
Yes, you read that right – it’s an animal show without real animals!
In a world’s first, the circus is entertaining crowds in an arena that measures 32 meters wide and 5 meters deep using 3D holographic images from projectors.

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In line with the prevention of cruelty to animals, the circus has incorporated modern techniques into their shows with the use of light technology. And these holographic shows are nothing short of mesmerizing.
The Austrian circus – which has been entertaining crowds with its animal shows since 1976 – has stopped the use of wild animals since the 1990s and has since used only domestic horses. But recently, the circus decided to stop using animals altogether.

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“Most of the numbers in the show would already be done by the artists and clowns today anyway,” the circus’ director told a German newspaper. “The focus of the Circus Roncalli is on poetic and acrobatic numbers.”
Performers like trapeze artists and clowns are now paired with holographic animals in the circus shows.
The best part about this innovation is that zero animals are harmed just for the sake of people’s entertainment. No more whips, no jumping through hoops of fire, and no pain at all for these sentient and intelligent beings.

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The public is becoming increasingly aware of the animal cruelty that happens in the circus, and many governments are implementing full bans on the use of animals for shows. This could mean that holographic shows are the circus of the future – and that is not bad at all!
If that would be the case, then the Circus Roncalli is definitely a step ahead of the game, and the impact that they are making towards the prevention of cruelty to animals is impressive.
Jan Creamer, president of Animal Defenders International, told The Dodo:
“Thankfully the public is voting with their feet, and increasingly visiting shows where the performers get to choose instead of being forced to perform. This is the future of circus — a performance everyone can enjoy and for which intelligent, sentient beings are not used and depicted as objects of entertainment.”

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In this futuristic era, people are coming up with more ways to entertain without harming another being – and as individuals who have a choice, we hope that you find it in your hearts to patronize entertainment venues that don’t promote cruelty.
Hopefully, this move by Circus Roncalli will encourage more circuses around the world to abandon tradition and stop the use of animals in their shows.
Watch the video below to witness one of Circus Roncalli’s mesmerizing holographic animal shows.