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North-east animal lover raising thousands for circus lions’ Scottish home

One of the caged ex-circus lions in Belgium
One of the caged ex-circus lions in Belgium

A north-east mother kick-started her campaign to raise thousands of pounds to give four poorly-treated former circus lions from Belgium a new life in Scotland at the weekend.

Passionate New Pitsligo animal lover and mother-of-four, Lucy White-Laird, heard about Five Sisters Zoo’s campaign to re-home four poorly treated male lions on their most recent trip to the East Lothian centre.

The four males lions were confiscated by the Belgian Goverment from a French travelling circus called “Zavatta” last May when they refused to obey the country’s laws in regards to use of animals in circuses.

Adam Rooney with a young Dons fan at the fundraising event in Strichen
Adam Rooney with a young Dons fan at the fundraising event in Strichen

They were re-homed from the cramped circus conditions to a temporary home in Belgium, and Five Sisters Zoo has launched a campaign to house the animals permanently at a suitable two-acre site.

However, the cost of building a suitable enclosure means they have to raise £150,000 by May this year.

And now Mrs White-Laird has launched a north-east fundraising drive for the animals.

Last weekend she raised more than £1,000 at a fund-raising “soup, sweet and craft” day in Ritchie Hall, Strichen, attended by former first minister, Alex Salmond, and Dons striker, Adam Rooney.

Speaking yesterday, she said: “We got down to the zoo quite a lot and my son is really into animals – my eldest son wants to be a vet – and I knew they were wanting to rescue these lions. I just wanted to do something.

“There was over 250 people in the door and we raised a grand total of £1001 and 73p.

“Our first event was a Big Eat which raised £300 and our second event was yesterday. Our next event is a sponsored walk on the 21st of March, Adam Rooney is coming to that with his dog, and a ladies swishing night. We have another four events lined up.”

Mrs White-Laird, 32, has four children with her husband Douglas Laird – Finlay, 9, Angus, 5, Bruce, 3, and Patrick, 1.

She said she is hoping to raise “as much as possible” for the lions.