Sep23
Ringling Bros. Fails
Posted at 11:58 AM | Permalink
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Comments (27)
Dust off your top hat and dancing shoes. It's time for the celebration jig! What are we celebrating, you ask? How about the fact that a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance that had been scheduled for last week at Western Kentucky University was canceled because of low ticket sales?
The show sold only about 100 tickets—perhaps because more than 30 local activists passed out hundreds of leaflets on opening night. These leaflets probably contained eye-opening information on how circuses torture animals. Circuses use aggression, violence, and confinement to "train" elephants, often resulting in pain, suffering, and trauma. According to former employees, Ringling Bros. routinely abuses animals, including beating animals bloody. What other horrors do animals endure at Ringling Bros.? Watch for yourself.
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The fact that even one circus performance was canceled is proof that people can make a difference. If everyone boycotted circuses that use animals and visited only animal-free circuses, Ringling and other animal circuses would whistle a different tune. They'd have no choice but to end the use and abuse of all animals in their shows.
Even celebrities are joining the campaign to end the use of animals in circuses. They know a circus life is no life at all for an animal.
Posted by Carrie Ann Harris
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THIS IS GREAT NEWS! OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWER! NOW LET'S KEEP THE PRESSURE ON AND LET'S KEEP GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE. HURRAY PETA!
Posted by: SASHA | September 23, 2008 12:57 PM
I attended WKU for three semesters and am glad to hear this! I hope in the future they will decide to cancel it because it's barbaric, though.
Posted by: Becca | September 23, 2008 01:29 PM
Oh My Gawsh This Is Freakin' Awesome! I'm crying Cause I Am So Ecstatic About This News! TAKE THAT RINGLING!!!! It's called Karma baby!!!!!! Start passing out your resumes, because HERE COMES PETA!
GO TEAM PETA!!
Posted by: Amanda | September 23, 2008 01:36 PM
I wish all animal circuses would go out of business but what would happen to the hundreds of animals that cruelly perform in them? The accredited sanctuaries are already bursting at the seams with unwanted, abused, neglected exotic species. Where would the circus animals go?
Posted by: rex's mom | September 23, 2008 02:28 PM
With all the crimes this company has committed, how are the owners not in jail?
They've been protected for too long.
Posted by: kelly | September 23, 2008 02:32 PM
This is encouraging!
Posted by: Sydney | September 23, 2008 08:41 PM
WOO-HOO!
Posted by: lily | September 24, 2008 12:03 AM
It wonderful people toke notice of the cruelty behind closed door and rufused any part of it! What a wonderful piece of new! Great work Peta!
Posted by: Crystal | September 24, 2008 02:49 AM
This is awesome i hope we continue working so we can stop animal cruelty!!!
I love being a peta member!
Posted by: MARIA | September 24, 2008 07:17 AM
Commitment to the cause DOES work..case in point. My friends and I have been protesting the circus in our city for the past couple years and its amazing how many people agree and still go in. Well we went one step further and while the circus was going on put the PETA pamplets under everyones windshield wipers. I think this was effective because I saw people actually stop and reading them..on their own. Hopefully they made the decision to never go back!
Posted by: Courtney | September 24, 2008 07:27 AM
That is amazing!!! I have always been a strong advocate for staying away from circuses with show animals. What could possibly be entertaining about watching animals being abused & forced to perform "tricks"? I am so glad to hear that Ringling is suffering from the effects of people who actually care about the inhumane treatment of animals. And, I agree with Kelly. With all the crimes that this company has committed, it is a mystery as to why these disgusting people are not put away. Nobody should support a business like them.
Posted by: Haeun | September 24, 2008 08:07 AM
Perhaps Peta can have a few comments on the tragic death of Hilda, the elephant in a Mexico circus, who charged her confines and was killed by a bus on a busy highway. It is reported she was 40 years old.
Posted by: keith | September 24, 2008 01:09 PM
I live in the UK and although no wild animals tend to be used in circuses over here anymore I do remember the horrible circus that used to turn up at the top of my Mums road years ago and me and two friends would stand outside handing out leaflets. Its long gone now. I think leafleting is absolutely vital to get through to people as well as a friendly face and a smile. Still , horses and other domestic animals appear in certain circuses in the UK still and this too is totally unacceptable - I am saddened that people still think its OK to go and see animals in circuses whatever part of the world and believe that the animals like it!!!!! Or maybe thats what they tell themselves to feel less bad!!!! All the effort of campaigning is paying off ,Ringling and the other unsavoury circuses will be on their knees and all heading for the dole office soon enough, mind you the slammer would be a better option where I would hope the so called human culprits got the biggest beating of their lives. That would be Karma for picking on defenceless animals too scared to fight back. I pray every day that these sickos get what they deserve. GO GO PETA
Posted by: Emma Bowden | September 24, 2008 01:58 PM
Hi Keith, Yes, I read about Hilda on care 2 this morning.
As far as I am concerned, she was running for her life and her freedom and she never made it. As smart as these elephants are, it makes me wonder if she took her own life because of the hell she was living through. It's just a thought. I saw a picture of Hilda after she had been hit and it brought me to my knees.
May this beloved lady rest in peace forever!
This is really great about the Circus! I read that they only sold 100 tickets, which is not a lot, thank goodness!
People are listening and reading a lot about the cruelty going on in these horrific places! It's about time!
Abolish Animal Slavery!
Most of my heroes wear masks!
Posted by: Judith FFFA | September 24, 2008 06:19 PM
THE FACT THAT LOVERS OF ANIMALS INFORMED THE PUBLIC OF THE CRUELTY THAT RINGLING BROTHERS INFLICTS ON ITS' ANIMALS IS AWESOME!! THANK YOU.
RINGLING BROS IS AN ETHICALLY CORRUPT ORGANIZATION WHOSE LEGACY WILL SOON BE ENDING!
Posted by: carolyn | September 25, 2008 12:28 AM
And I thought Kentucky was kind of a backwards state. Boy, was I wrong. Lead on, Kentucky!
Posted by: maggy | September 25, 2008 09:26 AM
'' Thank you Judith,FFFA.'' For the most valid comment. I agree entirely with your analogy ''Hilda,'' committed suicide.
Posted by: keith | September 25, 2008 10:08 AM
What GREAT NEWS, thank you PETA, and everyone for their emails and protest. This made my night, one step closer to helping all those abused animals. GREAT JOB by ALL!!
Posted by: Michelle Manchester | September 25, 2008 08:36 PM
Ugh, they've been doing this crap at my work. I work at a carnival selling elephant ears and one of our deals is that on the day they do the show everybody wants to eat an elephant ear while they watch the elephants. One of these jerks had held up a group of kids and was telling them how they were supporting the torture of the creatures they were comming to see, so I asked my boss for a break, he laughed and let me go, and I told him to lay off the kids before I threw him off the boardwalk. He called me a tool, and I followed through with my promise.
You all have your views, fine. But don't; scare kids, screw with my clients, screw with me, or call me a tool.
Posted by: Wilson | September 26, 2008 10:14 AM
Yay! This is great!
GO PETA! XXX
Posted by: Sophiya | September 26, 2008 10:34 AM
I wish PETA would write a firm letter to the our Mexican government about the terrible death of elephant Hilda.
We as animal protection asociations are doing our part, but we hope for more help in this.
Posted by: irene | September 26, 2008 05:29 PM
This is a wonderful thing. The circus is terrible! I hate the circus and everything about the circus!! These animals endure too much heartache and pain. They don't deserve it. If every city did this...circuses could be taken away forever. What a wonderful thought!!
Posted by: Christina | September 26, 2008 10:57 PM
I want to pass out leaflets at the circus that will be in Denver in Oct, how do I find out if there is anything formally organized, or should I just buy leaflets myself and hand them out. I hate circuses and this will be my first time doing this, so just wondering what's the best way to go about boycotting the circus?
Posted by: Megan Smith | September 27, 2008 05:20 PM
i think that is really sad :(
Posted by: Gus-Gus | September 28, 2008 02:28 PM
What a perfectly stated video.
Thank God that there are people out there that care.
Posted by: Wendy | September 28, 2008 08:31 PM
Great job Peta!!
Posted by: lynda downie | September 30, 2008 11:23 PM
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTT!!!!!
Attn: Ringling Brothers and Carson & Barnes and all you other sicko circuses-
YOU'RE GOING DOWN!!!! WHOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Posted by: Mara | October 9, 2008 10:01 PM