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PETA Wants President to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses
For Immediate Release:September 11, 2012
Contact:Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382
Las Vegas -- Accompanied by someone in an elephant costume holding a sign that reads, "Mr. President: Tell USDA to Confiscate Beaten Circus Elephants," PETA members will converge at the Cashman Center on Wednesday as President Barack Obama prepares to deliver a speech. The group is upset that although circuses train, discipline, and punish elephants using bullhooks (heavy weapons resembling fireplace pokers with a sharp steel hook) and that it's the duty of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to protect these animals from sustaining routine beatings that violate the Animal Welfare Act, the agency is not confiscating them.
When: Wednesday, September 12, 4 p.m.
Where: Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. N., Las Vegas
PETA has filed complaints against Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus—"the cruelest show on Earth"—regarding baby elephants who are beaten into submission as well as elephants routinely beaten behind the scenes just before they go on stage in order to remind them "who's boss," among many other instances of abuse. Last year, these complaints resulted in the biggest fine in circus history—$270,000. Cole Bros. Circus also recently paid a fine to settle numerous violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act for failure to care for elephants properly.
"The government has taken an important step by fining these cruel circuses, but now it must confiscate the lame, overworked, and beaten elephants," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Until then, what remains to be done is for the public to be made aware of this chronic abuse so that people will know to keep their children away from the circus."
PETA's elephant will appear at several of President Obama's speeches across the country.
For more information and to view photos and video footage of Ringling trainers abusing elephants, please visit PETA's website RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.