Eyewitness Testimony Reports That Elephant Traveling With Ringling Bros. Circus Staggered, Fell During Loading
For Immediate Release:
August 9, 2011
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Anaheim, Calif. — Eyewitnesses report that an elephant belonging to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus collapsed while being loaded into a boxcar in Anaheim on Sunday, so PETA has sent an urgent letter to Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait urging him to make this most recent visit of Ringling's the last in the city because of the never-ending stream of animal abuse. PETA is also calling for Mayor Paul Leon of Ontario, where the circus has just arrived, to immediately inspect Ringling's animals with an independent veterinary expert and ensure that Ringling does not force this or any other ailing animal to perform. Reports indicate that it was Sarah who fell, an elephant whose removal from performances PETA began calling for last month because of her poor physical condition.
"If the fallen elephant was indeed Sarah, then this is the latest incident of a sick animal in desperate need of treatment being forced to travel and perform strenuous tricks under threat of the metal-spiked bullhook—one more example of Ringling's complete disregard for the health and well-being of the animals it uses," says PETA Director Delcianna Winders. "The city has the authority to make sure that Ringling never again brings its abusive show to Anaheim and should act on it."
Two independent veterinarians who observed video footage of Ringling's elephant walk and opening-night performance in Los Angeles two weeks ago reported that one of the elephants is lame to the point of being crippled and should not be performing; that an elephant showed evidence of arthritis, one of the leading reasons elephants are euthanized; that an elephant exhibited pelvic lameness; and that an elephant showed shoulder lameness. An elephant biologist who observed these same elephants in May reported similar symptoms, indicating that the ill and ailing elephants are continually forced to perform despite their poor health and without sufficient veterinary treatment.
For more information, please visit RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.