A long-awaited end to decades of captivity
We welcome the news that Heythrop Zoological Gardens – the site long known as Amazing Animals – has announced it will close its doors at the end of March, after nearly 50 years of operating as a private exotic animal collection and supplier of trained animals for the film and media industry.
For too long, this establishment represented the outdated and unethical practice of keeping wild animals in captivity for entertainment and profit. From lions and tigers to primates, penguins and other “exotic” species, animals at Amazing Animals were held behind bars at their static zoo, or trained to perform for audiences and productions on their travelling events – attending care homes, weddings or parties – a practice Freedom for Animals (FFA) has steadfastly opposed since 1957, but for over a decade with this particular company.
Exploitation exposed
Our investigators documented distressing footage at Amazing Animals during an open day at their Heythrop Zoo site in 2015, showing wild animals made to perform tricks and pacing in circles – behaviours recognised to indicate signs of stress and psychological suffering.
This investigation can be viewed on our website HERE.
At the time, this evidence was used to call out the false narratives around “educational” animal displays, and to challenge broadcasters and film producers who chose to use animals from this facility, including the BBC. We also exposed how the owner, part of a circus‑linked animal training family ‘The Chipperfields’, moved lion cubs from a UK zoo only to send them abroad to a circus – a stark reminder that behind the glamour of TV and film animals lies a network of exploitation.
Why this closure matters
While the company’s own statement thanks visitors and local supporters, what too often goes unspoken in mainstream coverage is the reality for the animals themselves’ their lives defined by confinement, unnatural routines, and separation from their own species and natural environments for far too long. This closure is a small but meaningful step toward recognising that animals are not props for entertainment, but we are, of course, concerned about the movements of the animals and where they are planning to be transferred to as a result of this closure. News sites have mentioned a number of animals will be being moved to “private collections”, which, of course, concerns us greatly from an ethical and animal welfare perspective – and we will be updating this page in due course once we know more information.
This milestone closure, however, does underscore why our work remains vital. While Amazing Animals may be closing, many other institutions and companies continue to profit from holding animals captive. FFA will continue to campaign – through investigations, advocacy, and grassroots action – for a world where no animal is forced into a life behind bars, or to suffer performing on cue for the paying public. They all deserve freedom.
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