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Animal ATTRACTION |
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August 2009
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After nearly 10 long years in the making, closing arguments were heard in the case brought by The Fund for Animals and other animal protection groups against Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and its parent company, Feld Entertainment, on charges that the circus mistreats its Asian elephants in violation of the Endangered Species Act. The case was heard in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., and the judge's decision is forthcoming.
The Evidence Is In Over the course of the trial, which began Feb. 4, plaintiffs presented volumes of evidence demonstrating that circus employees use abusive and harmful training and discipline methods to control these highly endangered and extremely intelligent animals. The evidence focused on two of Ringling's standard practices and the harm they cause the elephants. These practices are the use of a bullhook (a sharp metal hook on the end a club) and the nearly constant chaining and confinement of the animals. Plaintiffs put on days of evidence supporting these claims of mistreatment, including photographs, video footage, internal Ringling Bros. correspondence and reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Additionally, several former Ringling Bros. employees presented forceful eyewitness testimony. One of these was The Fund's co-plaintiff, Tom Rider, who worked at Ringling Bros. for 2.5 years before leaving the circus because of the abuse he saw. "Handlers Hit Elephants" Perhaps the most striking moment in the trial came in early March, when Kenneth Feld, chief executive officer of the circus, admitted under cross-examination that all of the Ringling handlers hit elephants with bullhooks, and that they do it to punish the animals. This stunning admission flies in the face of decades of Ringling propaganda and advertising to mislead unsuspecting circus patrons with claims that Ringling would never hit or otherwise harm any of its elephants. "Together with our partners we've fought long and hard to get to this point, and we're pleased that the elephants have had their day in court," said Michael Markarian, president of The Fund. "The evidence that Ringling Brothers is hitting and chaining these animals is no longer disputed, and we're confident the Court will find that Ringling's actions violate federal law." The groundbreaking lawsuit was filed against the circus in 2000 by The Fund for Animals, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Animal Welfare Institute, Born Free USA united with Animal Protection Institute, and former Ringling Bros. barn man, Tom Rider. The plaintiffs are represented by the public interest law firm Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal. For a complete timeline of the case and to watch the video, "Behind the Big Top", click here. Source: The Humane Society of the United States 5 CommentsLeave a comment |
Now - lets just pray that the outcome is what we are expecting! Elephants are very intelligent and caring animals - and they deserve to be treated humanely! Please take them out of the circus and let them live their lives as elephants are meant to live!
That those Wiccans at PETA behind this ! They are trying to destroy a true American tradition, the circus !
Right on, Chuck! Those Wiccans at PETA are a threat to us good Christian animal beaters!
Right on, Chuck! Those Wiccans at PETA are a threat to us good Christian animal beaters!
No animals deserves to be abused...whether it's a stray, a pet, a circus animal or in the movies. I don't care how much of a "tradition" something might be. I hope, like Donna, that the outcome is a good one!