SIR - I read with interest the letter from Karl Dallas (T&A, September 5), concluding that acrobats and clowns make their own choices but animals can’t.

Another point to make in the debate over circus animals is that our society has grown and evolved – even developed for want of a better word – a conscience. We know animals live best in their natural habitat, we know they may live in herds (family units) and graze and roam sometimes for miles on a daily basis. Wild animals are born free.

I went to see Planet Circus - they use no animals and it was thrilling, amazing, performers at their physical peak. We were all on the edge of our seats, every one of our group concluded, why would you want to use animals when you have these top-class performers giving with every bit of their being the performance of their lives?

It made the use of animals seem very dated indeed.

Suzanne Kirk, Ashmount, Bradford