Props! Louis Walsh had STERN words for the Irish government

Music manager by day, animal rights activist by night?

He might be best known for working alongside Simon Cowell on The X Factor, but Louis Walsh is also an animal rights campaigner.

The former Westlife manager has written to the government asking for the use of wild animals in Irish circuses to be banned.

In the letter – which was sent with the help of animal rights groups PETA and ARAN – Louis claims circus animals perform because they are afraid of being beaten.

He wrote: “My career has given me a deep appreciation for the determination and talents of human performers. "

"They do what they do because they love to entertain, and the joy it gives them is apparent the minute they come on stage. That is not true for animals who are used in circuses.”

“They don’t stand on their heads, ride bicycles or perform other demeaning, often painful tricks willingly.  They do so because if they don’t, they will be whipped, beaten with a steel-tipped bullhook or shocked with an electric prod,” he said.

The letter asks Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to ban the use of wild animals in circuses as has been done in a number of other European countries.

Walsh says not banning these performances is “like putting out a welcome mat for animal abusers”.

We wonder what the response will be…