New Mexico State University Cancels Jordan World Circus Show After PETA Appeal
School Nabs Elephant-Shaped Vegan Chocolates in Thanks for Pledging Not to Host Wild-Animal Circuses
For Immediate Release:
October 1, 2018
Contact:
Audrey Shircliff 202-483-7382
After PETA pointed out that Jordan World Circus has a long history of working with abusive animal exhibitors, New Mexico State University (NMSU) canceled the circus’ scheduled performance at the Pan American Center and vowed not to host wild-animal circuses in the future. In thanks, PETA sent the school’s special events director a box of delicious elephant-shaped vegan chocolates.
“New Mexico State University acted quickly and compassionately to block Jordan World Circus from hauling suffering exotic animals into town and forcing them to perform under threat of punishment,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “Venues such as this university that take a strong anti-cruelty stance are helping PETA push circuses toward the animal-free future that they must embrace if they want to keep attracting audiences.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—notes that Jordan World currently leases its animal acts from the notorious Carden International Circus, Inc., whose operators have been cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on multiple occasions, including for failing to provide tigers with adequate nutrition and space and failing to provide an elephant who had open wounds with proper veterinary care. Last year, video footage showed an elephant at a Jordan World performance swaying continuously, an abnormal behavior indicative of stress. In addition, the circus’s big-cat exhibitor, Adam Burck, has a policy that the animals must be caged “at all times” while on the road, except during shows—which implies that they aren’t given adequate exercise for the 10 months of the year that they’re forced to travel and perform.
NMSU joins dozens of communities and more than 650 venues nationwide that now prohibit wild-animal exhibits.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.
