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PETA Foundation Accuses Online Company of Misleading Consumers About Circuses With Long Histories of Violating Animal-Protection Law
For Immediate Release:August 20, 2012
Contact:Shakira Croce 202-540-2199Chicago — A lawyer for the PETA Foundation has fired off a letter to Andrew Mason, CEO of online discount-certificate company Groupon, demanding that the company immediately stop issuing false and misleading statements about several cruel circuses it profits from promoting. While Groupon states publicly that the circuses it promotes "must have clean USDA and public record inspection reports from at least the past 2 years," U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports indicate that most of the circuses Groupon has recently promoted have been cited numerous times for violating the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) within the past two years, including for endangering the public and animals, failing to provide adequate veterinary care, and violating animal-handling regulations.
"Groupon is misleading the public so as to sell discounted certificates to circuses with long histories of abusing and neglecting animals and forcing injured and ill animals to perform against their will," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Caring consumers who would never attend an abusive circus are hoodwinked by Groupon into thinking that these circuses are treating their animals well."
In its letter, the PETA Foundation points out that some circuses promoted by Groupon contract with outside animal exhibitors that are notorious for abusing animals. For example, UniverSoul Circus contracts with exhibitors Jorge and Louann Barreda. Last September—which is within Groupon's minimum time period for examining inspection reports—the Barredas received an Official Warning, which is the final opportunity for an exhibitor to avoid a civil penalty or criminal prosecution for violations of the AWA. The warning was issued for failing to give adequate veterinary care to four elephants suffering from foot problems—the leading reason why captive elephants are euthanized. Other historically abusive circuses that Groupon has recently promoted include Circus Gatti and the Piccadilly Circus, whose elephant exhibitor was arrested in May on a warrant related to cruelty-to-animals charges.
The PETA Foundation's letter to Groupon CEO Andrew Mason is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.