It's the 21st Century -- a time for Netflix, virtual reality, tablets and cat cafes. In this day and age, condemning wild animals like lions and monkeys to a 'life' of constant travel and confinement and forcing them to perform demeaning 'tricks' for 'entertainment' is not only outdated -- it's straight up cruel.

But in Australia, it's still legal to keep exotic animals in circuses :/ If you agree that a circus is no place for a wild animal, here’s what you can do if you hear that an exotic animal circus is planning to visit your area.

Tell your family and friends about the cruelty behind the big top, and how life in a travelling circus is no life at all for an exotic animal. Here are some points to mention.

A growing number of Australian councils are taking a kind stance for animals by banning exotic animal circuses on council land, and you can encourage your council to do the same! If you find out that an exotic animal circus is coming your way, write or phone your council, and encourage all of your friends and family to do the same.

If you want to have your voice heard when an animal circus is coming to your town, you can consider writing a letter to the editor of your local paper, and speaking on talk-back radio about the cruelty involved in animal circuses and why they should be banned. You could also try finding an animal rights community group in your area and ask them to help you in taking action for circus animals. (They might already have something planned). The more people who speak up, the better!

Our animal circuses flyer is a helpful tool to raise awareness. Print out as many copies as you can for letterbox drops, notice boards, in waiting rooms, etc.

By speaking out against circus cruelty, you're joining a worldwide movement away from animal circuses -- and toward a kinder world. The most entertaining circuses rely on the skills of their talented human performers, proving that you don't need cruelty to make a circus. Make a stand by pledging to never support exotic animal circuses -- why not check out a great animal-free act when they tour to a town near you!

You know what they say about the Gold Coast - beautiful one day, forcing lions to perform circus tricks the next. Read on for the full story and what you can do to help.

Traditionally, you can find clowns INSIDE the circus. But on the Gold Coast this week, it seemed like some of the clowns had run away to join the Gold Coast City Council. In a vote of 8-7, councillors on the Goldy overturned a 2009 ban on exotic animal in circuses. This means that travelling circuses with lions and other animals can once again use public land for their out-dated and increasingly opposed shows.

100 protestors turned up to the meeting to urge councillors to extend the ban, as opposed to just 8 people (former circus owners) who wanted the ban overturned. Still, the councillors made the disappointing decision to let the circuses back into town.

For animals, life in a circus is no fun. Instead, it is boring and unnatural. They spend months on the road in small enclosures with no opportunity to express their natural behaviour. Circuses don't even pretend as though they're offering education or conservation of wild animals - so the lifelong confinement of circus animals is all for a few minutes of human "entertainment".

Even though the Gold Coast has taken a backwards step on animal protection this week, YOU can show them what caring individuals think of their decision. Take the pledge to boycott circuses that use exotic animals. And if one comes to your town, make sure you let your friends know that lions belong in the wild (and in awesome dreams!) - not in circuses!

If the thought of lions confined in tiny places bothers you, you might be shocked to know that pigs and hens are kept in even smaller cages, and what happens to them is even worse. Discover the truth for yourself!

Unfortunately, the good news for Australia's last circus elephant was short lived. Despite a huge public plea to retire Saigon, and despite advising Animals Australia that they would take her home after their last string of shows, Perry Bros have now announced on their website that they will be carting Saigon off to Bayswater for their next set of shows.

After 50 years on the road, Saigon deserves a better life than to spend another month locked in a small barren enclosure, with traffic rushing by and a shopping centre for a view.

And so Animals Australia's campaign to free Australia's last circus elephant must be taken to the next level, and all options will be considered including: public advertising, demonstrations, and pressure on the government of VIC to catch up to other states and ban circuses from keeping solitary elephants.

If you haven't signed the petition to 'Free Saigon' yet, please take this opportunity to add your name. If you have, then please print out a copy and get all your friends to sign as well (and then post the sheets back to the office: 37 O'Connell st, North Melbourne, VIC 3051).

Thanks for your support with this campaign!