Own work. Sources used in creating this map:

• General overview: Circus bans (English). Stop Circus Suffering. Archived from the original on 23 April 2026. Retrieved on 23 April 2026.
• Austria: Paragraph 27 of the Austrian Animal Protection Act 2004 (effective 1 January 2005) [Tierschutzgesetz]: "Species of wild animals are not allowed to be kept in circuses, variety show institutions and similar facilities. (...)". Bundesgesetz über den Schutz der Tiere (Tierschutzgesetz – TSchG). Federal Act on the Protection of Animals (Animal Protection Act – TSchG). ris.bka.gv.at (2004). Retrieved on 23 April 2026.>br />Ombudsman, European (15 March 2010). Decision of the European Ombudsman closing his inquiry into complaint 3307/2006/(PB)JMA against the European Commission. European Ombudsman. Retrieved on 23 April 2026.
• Colombia: Law 1638 of 2013 prohibits the use of wild animals in circuses in Colombia. Normatives for the protection of pets in Latin America: situation of Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and México. Revista MVZ Córdoba (4 June 2020). Retrieved on 24 April 2026.
• European Union: After a circus association lodged a complaint against Austria's 2005 ban at the European Commission, it found that Austria's decision to ban the use of wild animals in circuses for the protection of animal welfare could constitute an "overriding reason of general interest" by which an EU member state was allowed to restrict the free movement of services (as established by Article 56 TFEU). In effect, this meant that EU member states could impose national bans on the use and transportation of (wild) animals in circuses on animal welfare grounds. 23 november 2009 - Ministerie van LNV - Brief Europese Commissie over bevoegdheid lidstaten inzake het verbieden van wilde dieren in circussen (23 November 2009 – Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality – Letter from the European Commission regarding Member States’ competence to ban wild animals in circuses). Retrieved on 23 April 2026.
• Germany: The Bundestag voted against a federal ban on wild animals in circuses on 24 October 2019, making Germany the only EU member state not to impose such a national ban or restriction. In August 2020, Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner announced she was working on a bill to ban certain species (such as giraffes, hippos, and rhinoceroses) from circuses. Most welfarist groups and the Agriculture Ministers of all 16 States of Germany were in favour of a broader national ban, while more than 100 cities and municipal councils (on a total of 10,753) had reportedly already enacted local bans on wild animals in circuses. Bundestag votes against ban on wild animals in circuses. Wild beim Wild (23 October 2019). Retrieved on 23 April 2026.
  Why wild animals suffer in circuses. Deutscher Tierschutzbund. Retrieved on 23 April 2026.
  Half-hearted circus wild animal ban announced. Wild beim Wild (1 August 2020). Retrieved on 23 April 2026.
• Netherlands: On 15 September 2015, the Government of the Netherlands banned the use of wild mammals in circuses, such as lions, tigers and elephants. This also meant that transporting wild mammals for this purpose was henceforth prohibited. The Decision on the List of Circus Animals (Besluit Circusdierenlijst, effective 1 July 2024; last amended 21 June 2025) clarified which non-wild mammals that may still be used as circus animals, including donkeys, horses, dogs, domestic cats, llamas, alpacas and camels. The city of Almere in 2025 decided to prohibit any and all circuses featuring animals, citing both arguments for animal welfare and human public health. Other major cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and Groningen have a strict policy of discouraging circuses with animal shows holding events within their territory, giving preferential treatment to animal-free circuses, and imposing strict requirements for circuses which do want to perform animal shows. Geen optredens met wilde zoogdieren (Dutch). RVO.nl. Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (15 September 2015). Archived from the original on 23 April 2026. Retrieved on 23 April 2026.
  Besluit circusdierenlijst (Dutch). wetten.overheid.nl (21 June 2025). Retrieved on 23 April 2026.
  Kemps, Diego (6 December 2025). "Circus met dieren definitief verboden in Almere: 'Niet meer van deze tijd' (Circuses featuring animals have been permanently banned in Almere: 'No longer appropriate in this day and age')". De Stentor (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 April 2026.
• Turkey: In July 2021, Turkey banned the opening of circuses which use animals. Existing facilities will cease operations in ten years (2022–2032). "Turkish parliament approves animal rights bill". Anadolu Agency. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  Hayvanları Koruma Kanunu (Turkish). Retrieved on 11 August 2021. "Additional Article 2 – (Added: 9/7/2021-7332/14 art.). After the effective date of this article, the establishment of land and water circuses using animals, as well as dolphin parks, is prohibited. Existing businesses cannot increase their capacity by replenishing or increasing the number of animals lost for any reason, opening new branches, or engaging in production; they cannot transfer their operating rights without the permission of the Ministry, and they must cease operations at the end of ten years."
• Uruguay: Unlike most other South American countries, Uruguay has not enacted a broad prohibition on animals in circuses. Law No. 18,471 ("Law on the Responsible Tenure of Animals"), enacted in 2009, established general animal welfare regulations, but not specifically to improve the living conditions of animals in circuses. Normatives for the protection of pets in Latin America: situation of Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and México. Revista MVZ Córdoba (4 June 2020). Retrieved on 24 April 2026.