I know for a fact that no council authority will issue any licence to allow a circus to open and perform in the UK if they have animal acts.
There was an interview from a circus owner in our local paper last year who actually has two versions ongoing 1,people only for the UK and 2 people and animal acts for Europe.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of performing animal acts I feel there's something missing in a circus that has no animals.
But hey times change and today the P C brigade's in charge so the magic for the kids is no longer there..

Watching people commit feats of strength and endurance with grace and comedic timing is often just as magical as watching the animals, if not more so. I know as a kid I was always most impressed with the acrobats and trapeze artists, but that's not to say I don't treasure the memory of riding an elephant.