PETA Statement: Ringling Bros. to Stay Out of Pacific Northwest in Upcoming Years

For Immediate Release:
October 6, 2015

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

PETA Foundation Counsel Rachel Mathews released the follow statement in response to Ringling Bros.’ announcement that the circus has no plans to return to the Pacific Northwest in the next few years:

Ringling Bros. must be as tired of the constant protests as the public is tired of seeing elephants beaten with bullhooks, weapons that resemble fireplace pokers with a sharp hook on one end, which Ringling uses to force elephants to obey out of fear of punishment. Ringling is already succumbing to public pressure by agreeing to get the elephants out of its shows by 2018, and this latest nail in its coffin is further proof that today’s public is turning its back on businesses that exploit animals, from Ringling’s tawdry elephant sideshows to SeaWorld’s cruel orca prisons.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—is calling on Ringling to retire all animals from its shows immediately. More information is available at RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.