Circus's History of
Beating Big Cats and Elephants Disqualifies It for Exception to Endangered
Species Act, Say PETA and Others
For Immediate Release:
April 26, 2012
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Washington -- PETA and eight other animal protection organizations* have submitted formal comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) calling on the agency to deny an application by Feld Entertainment, Inc., parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, to take endangered Asian elephants and tigers to Mexico and other unidentified foreign locations. Although the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits the exportation and importation of endangered species, Ringling has applied for an exception that allows imports and exports if they enhance the species' survival. But PETA has amassed extensive video footage and other evidence showing that, far from enhancing species' survival, Ringling routinely beats tigers, Asian elephants, and other endangered animals in order to force them to perform in flagrant violation of the ESA.
"The whips and bullhooks that Ringling uses to train and punish tigers and elephants do not 'enhance the species' survival' as required by law—they merely cement Ringling's reputation as a chronic animal abuser," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "The Endangered Species Act was created to protect animals from precisely the kind of abuse and exploitation that they are subjected to every day in the circus."
Ringling was recently assessed the largest monetary penalty ever paid by an animal exhibitor for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). PETA also cites its own 2009 investigation that revealed that Ringling handlers beat tigers and elephants as well as the fact that inspectors in Sacramento, Calif., observed tigers used by Ringling confined without water, food, or enrichment of any kind. Additionally, Ringling's own internal documents show that its handlers have beaten Asian elephants with bullhooks until the animals dripped blood. Since 1991, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited Ringling for more than 50 violations of the AWA with respect to the care of big cats and Asian elephants.
For more information, please visit PETA's website RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.
*Animal Defenders International, Animal Legal Defense Fund, AnimaNaturalis, Consejo Ciudadano de Seguridad Pública y Procuración de Justicia del Distrito Federal, ElephantVoices, Gente por la Defensa Animal, In Defense of Animals, and Naturaleza Animal A.C.