For Immediate Release:
October 22, 2008

Contact:
RaeLeann Smith 757-622-7382

Vienna, Va. -- This morning, PETA sent an offer to Nicole Feld of Vienna, Va.-based Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The group is offering to buy a state-of-the art, high-tech animatronic elephant to give to Ringling if Feld retires the circus's current elephants from servitude. PETA has long been at odds with Ringling over the circus's abusive treatment of elephants, tigers, and other animals. Ringling has been fined, warned, and cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for elephant deaths and other incidents. The animatronic elephant that PETA offers to buy for Ringling would be similar to the animatronic dinosaurs currently in use in the popular "Walking With Dinosaurs, the Live Experience" show, which is touring the U.S. PETA points out that substituting Ringling's live elephants with animatronic ones would provide all the thrills that kids love while at the same time getting PETA off Feld's back.

"The days of hauling elephants and other animals across the country in chains and cramped cages and forcing them to perform under threat of punishment are fading," says PETA Director Debbie Leahy. "PETA's offer gives Ringling the perfect opportunity to prove its tired claim that it cares by switching to animatronic elephants and retiring the old, ailing live elephants that it currently uses."

For more information, please visit PETA's Web site Circuses.com.

PETA's letter to Nicole Feld follows.

October 22, 2008

Nicole Feld, Executive Vice President
Feld Entertainment Inc.

Dear Ms. Feld:

I am writing on behalf of PETA and our more than 2 million members and supporters. As the person responsible for creative development for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, we would like to present you with what I hope you will see as an exciting, innovative proposal, one that would benefit the circus and the elephants used in its shows. We would be willing to purchase an animatronic elephant--similar to the animatronic dinosaur featured in the highly popular show "Walking With Dinosaurs, the Live Experience," which is currently touring the U.S.--to take the place of live elephants in Ringling Bros. performances.

As this video footage shows, the size, dimensions, and movements of the dinosaur are comparable to those of an elephant during a circus performance. With a few wardrobe additions and simple programming changes, we think that this "elephant" would mesmerize an audience full of curious children. With the rising number of technologically advanced performances and the rising costs of maintaining and transporting real elephants, this option seems to be a truly futuristic solution that would also keep animal rights activists off Ringling's back.

The use of animatronics would also guarantee a successful performance every night and eliminate any dangers or surprises that come with training powerful animals. The real elephants would, of course, be spared tiring, uncomfortable, and even painful lives in chains and perpetual servitude.

I hope to hear from you that this idea is appealing and that you will give it a try. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kristie Phelps, Assistant Director
Animals in Entertainment Campaign