Carden Circus Cited by USDA Following PETA Complaint

The USDA cited the Carden Circus for failing to provide adequate veterinary care to 57-year-old Betty— known as the “Most Depressed Elephant in the World”—and for forcing her to give rides despite obvious pain and lameness. The citations, which followed a PETA complaint, documented circus owner Brett Carden acknowledging that Betty suffers from lameness and admitting that her stiffness increases when she is ridden by members of the public. After receiving these citations, the Cardens leased Betty to a roadside zoo in Indiana, where she was coerced into hands-on encounters with the public for photo ops—making it clear that they intend to keep using her until her body breaks down completely.