The University of Stirling Students’ Union has rejected a motion to ban llamas and live animal displays for the purpose of entertainment for the second time.
The Llama Removal Motion asked the Union to cease its use of captive animals for the purpose of entertainment and refrain from endorsing these types of events.
It fell at November’s general meeting and was resubmitted to exclude the Sports Union as some of these clubs – such as equestrian – are based around animals.
Alpacas on Campus events and destress dogs faced a ban on the reasoning that they could not ‘consent’ to be used as entertainment.
Aaron Caulfield and Imogen Robertson, the people behind the Union’s 2025 plant-based catering commitment, submitted the motion.
Although the removal focused on llamas instead of alpacas, this was highlighted and corrected by the proposer.
The ban was up for debate at the Union’s first General Meeting of 2023, alongside the Support for Student Sex Workers Motion and the Clubs and Societies Coronavirus Recovery Motion.
Amendments were also proposed to the Standing Orders Motion and the Buffer Zone Motion for NUS Conference.
Students also rejected the Amendments to Standing Orders Motion, with concerns that it was “too confusing and lacking any consideration for democracy to be passed”.
The amendment hoped to run a vote of no confidence in the same way as a general meeting, requiring a two-third majority of the meeting to pass, instead of a Referendum.
Three of the five motions were passed, including the Amendment to Buffer Zone motion for NUS Conference, the Support for Student Sex Workers Motion and the Clubs and Societies Coronavirus Recovery Motion.
This means the Students’ Union will take the Buffer Zone Motion to the ‘more appropriate’ National Union of Students (NUS) Liberation Conference rather than the NUS Scotland Conference.
The Union will also campaign in support of sex workers’ housing rights and ask NUS Scotland to make this a priority as part of its student housing campaigning.
Additionally, societies will only need the three core committee positions of President, Secretary and Treasurer to operate.
Club membership fees will not be mandatory and the joining cost will be decided by the society itself.
The next meeting will be April 13 at 5pm via Microsoft Teams. The deadline for motions is April 5 at 5pm.
Featured Image Credit: Stirling Union
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