National Guard Armory in Tennessee Cancels Kangaroo Boxing

April 2014

Stardust Circus—which features kangaroo boxing—was scheduled to perform at the National Guard Armory in Cleveland, Tennessee. We contacted Maj. Gen. Terry Haston, Tennessee’s adjutant general, and let him know that it’s against Tennessee law for a person to torture an animal intentionally or knowingly. Tennessee defines “torture” as “every act … whereby unreasonable … suffering … is caused or permitted.” After we pointed out that holding such an event was therefore likely illegal—and that forcing kangaroos to box with humans is stressful to the naturally gentle animals—Haston e-mailed PETA and confirmed that he had canceled the boxing match as well as all of Stardust’s planned circus performances.