Wed 7 May 2008
Tonight at 6pm advocates for animal rights will be protesting the circus outside of the Civic Center near the Church Street entrance. The organizers of this protest write:
Ringling boasts that its trains crisscross the country 11 months of the
year, logging more than 25,000 miles. The elephants in their show are
forced to travel in extreme temperatures in cramped cars, eating and
sleeping in their own excrement, for most of their lives. The elephants
that arrived from Providence had been on the train for at least 25 hours
without relief. When not in transit, they are chained or in tiny
pens except when performing. They are trained through the violent use of
bullhooks and electric shock, and perform only out of fear that they will
be subjected to more pain. As a result, many of the Ringling elephants
develop disease and show signs of neurotic behavior, such as swaying and
head-bobbing, from boredom and severe stress.This year, Ringling’s Blue Unit will be performing in Hartford for
Mothers’ Day weekend.All of these elephants were torn from their
mothers as babies, either in Asia or from circus breeding facilities in
this country. Four of Ringling EURO(tm)s baby elephants have died since 1998,
and Ringling has been fined by the federal government for its methods in
separating babies from their mothers.
Video of last year’s circus demo can be viewed here.
