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August 1986 – Darwin, NT
A camel belonging to Sole Brothers' Circus was attacked by 2 lions who had escaped from their cage. Prior to attacking the camels, the lions turned on their trainer, who took refuge in a caravan after fending them off with an industrial bin.

September 1987 – Gunnedah, NSW
Ashtons' elephant, Abu, killed her third victim, George Littlejohn, who was a horse groom with the circus.

December 1987 – Sydney, NSW
The RSPCA ordered Edgley International to provide larger quarters for the Moscows Circus' brown bears after they were found living in cramped and barren conditions.

December 1987 – Sydney, NSW
An animal handler from the Moscow Circus was attacked by a circus bear.

Easter 1988 – Sydney, NSW
An animal handler from Robert and Alby Perry's Circus was hospitalised after being mauled by a circus tiger.

August 1988 – Noosa Heads, QLD
3 camels belonging to Ashtons' Circus died after being grazed on a property which had recently been sprayed with a poisonous substance.

February 1989 – Moruya, NSW
Ashtons' lion keeper, Brett Hall, received 170 stitches after being mauled by a tiger named Moscow, who had been reared by the circus since birth. The tiger had escaped from its cage prior to this incident, and was eventually recaptured by circus hands using tent poles, cattle prods, and a rope tied to its tail.

April 1990 – Melbourne, VIC
The organisers of visiting French Circus Archaos, were forced to withdraw a live chicken from use in the show. The chicken made its first appearance in the ring being dragged around by a heavy chain. Later a performer swung from a rope with the chicken's head in his mouth. Responding to the demand for the act to be dropped, the circus' Mr Pashalito stated "If you make some problem about that, I swear I kill one chicken for each of the 25 shows we are here for".

February 1991 – Ararat, VIC
A group of lions belonging to Russell's Free Circus were released from their cages by an intoxicated man who had been attending a nearby party. Four men, including a police officer, were mauled before the animals were recaptured.

March 1991
New South Wales Environment Minister, Tim Morre, announced that Sole Brothers' Circus would be refused a permit to import 9 trained lions from Papua New Guinea. According to the Minister, "Sole Brothers' Circus has failed to meet the standards required under the Exhibited Animals Protection Act and has been unable to demonstrate that the lions, if imported, would be housed to the standards considered acceptable in New South Wales".

Jean Perry, a proprietor of Sole Brothers' Circus, wrote to Minister Moore requesting that he overturn the above decision. In her letter, Mrs Perry admitted that the circus' existing lions "are of an old age ... and should have been retired long ago". Mrs Perry also attempted to mislead the Minister when she claimed in her letter that animal liberation groups "will protest" if a permit to import the animals is refused.