'Elephant' to Lead PETA Protest Outside D.C. City Hall

Mayor Gray Called Upon to Enforce Cruelty-to-Animals Laws When Ringling Bros. Comes to Town 

For Immediate Release:
March 6, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Washington -- Armed with signs that read, "Don't Make Sick Animals Work" and "Mayor Gray: Enforce All Animal Cruelty Laws," a group of PETA members—including a costumed "elephant"—will gather outside City Hall on Thursday in advance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus' opening night at the Verizon Center later this month. As PETA has pointed out in a letter to Mayor Vincent Gray, Ringling chains the elephants overnight so that they cannot move even two steps and forces ones who suffer from painful arthritis and lameness—including Karen and Nicole, part of the Ringling unit headed to town—to perform, both violations of district law. Citing budgetary constraints, the Department of Health has refused to conduct evening inspections and has refused to hand over evidence to the Washington Humane Society, the congressionally empowered animal law enforcement agency in the district—meaning that these laws have gone unenforced.

When:   Thursday, March 7, 12 noon sharp

Where:  City Hall, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. (near the intersection with 14^th Street)

"For years, district officials have shamefully turned a blind eye to cruel practices, including chaining elephants overnight in such a way that they cannot take two steps, forcing them to urinate and defecate in the same space where they must lie down, and making lame elephants perform painful tricks," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is calling on Mayor Gray to act to ensure that the circus isn't allowed to flout the law again this year."

Alec Baldwin's video exposé reveals other ways that Ringling abuses elephants, including beating them with sharp metal bullhooks to keep them in constant fear of punishment.

For more information, please visit PETA's website RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.