ringlingbros

     Ringling Bros - the truth exposed !!!!

         Ringling Bros, Barnum and Bailey circus like to paint the public a picture of happy animals doing "tricks" because they like to. The following is a list of factual statement for you to decide for yourself :

They say -
" At Ringling Bros, the relationship between animals and humans is built on mutual respect, trust and affection."

Fact-
Video footage of Ringling trainers shows elephants being whipped in the face and gouged with metal hooks.

They say-
"we are proud of our USDA inspection reports."

Fact-
Ringling Bros USDA inspection reports are riddled with instances in which federal inspectors found that Ringling Bros had failed to comply with minimum federal regulations, including the failure to provide animals with exercise, provide sufficient space and not keeping the proper veterinary records.

They say-
"None of our animals are taken from the wild."

Fact-
The Asian Elephant Regional Stud Book, the industry resource for information on elephant births, deaths and captures shows that the majority of Ringlings elephants were captured in the wild.

They say-
"Trainers teach animals routines that showcase their natural behaviors, beauty and distinctive personalties."

Fact-
In nature bears do not ride bikes, elephants don't stand on their heads and a tiger would never jump through fire. To force wild animals to perform unnatural acts, trainers use whips, muzzles, electric prods and bullhooks. In their real homes these animals would be free to raise their families, forage for food and play night after night. Instead the circuses force them to perform night after night, for 48-50 weeks a year. Between acts, elephants are "stored" in cages with barely enough room to take one step. The Ringling Bros circus has also invented a "unicorn" by mutilating a baby goat - surgically moving his horns to the centre of his forehead.

They say-
" future generations will be able to expirence the wonder of Asian elephants because of what we are doing today."

Fact-
Ringling has opposed improvements to the lives of captive elephants including proposed laws banning cruel training methods, such as electrocution and the withholding of food, and laws that would limit the amount of time elephants can be shackled by their legs

                                                           It is up to you
         CHOOSE ONLY CIRCUSES THAT DO NOT USE                                                    ANIMALS.

For a list of circuse who do not contain animals click here

More on Ringling Bros:
Since May 1996 there have been over 100 recorded failures of Ringling Bros to comply with the minimal standards of animal care, set by the USDA, United States Department of agriculture. Including the following:

January 28th 2000 - September 6th 2000

- Failing to maintain a transport shift cage for the tigers, it had a dangerous hole in the floor.
- Failure to provide minimal space for the dogs and have them identified.
- A horse was found suffering from the life threatening colic, and was forced to wait for three hours in a train while employees searched for a large animal veterinarian.
- Failure to maintain the structural strength of its tiger enclosure, two tigers had injured themselves attempting to escape.
- Failing to provide veterininary care to an elephant named Tillie who has been diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Febuary 9th 1999 - November 19th 1999

- wounds were found on the baby elephants legs from the separating them from their mothers. These wounds were caused by rope burns and were approxiamentally 6" long and 1" wide. They were taken form their mothers when they were 2 years old. In the wild females will remain with their mothers for their entire lives and males for up to 15 years.
- no treatment was instituted for an elephant with positive tuberculosis status.
- a horse collapsed and died during a animal march to the Scope Convention Center. A PETA videographer captured the horses collapse on film despite Ringling workers attempts to obstruct the camera. There was no veterinarian on duty when the horse was in urgent need of medical care although Ringling claims that a veterinarian is available 24 hours a day. It was found that Ringling was aware that the horse was in a delicate condition but kept him on the road anyway.
- It was cited that Ringlings tiger cages were in need of repair and locking mechanisms.
- Failure to dispose of medications that expired as far back as Febuary 1996.
- Benjamin, a 4 year old baby elephant who had been removed from his mother before she could teach him to swim, drowned when he stepped into a pond while the circus was travelling through Texas. It was found that Benjamin was removed from his mother when he ws 1 year old
- Two frightened Zebras who were tethered together escaped twice from their handler and ran toward a main street while being transferred from the arena between performances.
- Again tiger cages in need of repair.
- An elephant with chronic arthritis was continuously housed on concrete instead of a more comfortable surface such as rubber for large hoofed animals.
- A female elephant named Teetchie who had a history of thin body condition and who had tested positive for tuberculosis had to be euthanized on October 28.

March 17th 1998 - December 17th 1998

- An angry trainer shot an endangered bengal tiger, named Arnie, five times with a 12-gauge shot gun while he was locked in his cage.
- Ringling Bros was fined for $20,000 for not providing veterinary care for Kenny a baby elephant who diedafter being forced to perfom despite being sick.
- A 12 year old wild caught sea lion named Gypsy was found dead in her transport container. In the wild sea lions can live up to 20 years.
- A USDA inspection of Ringlings elephants found three with lameness and one with lacerations on her forehead.
- Three tigers escaped from their cage in a Chicago parking lot, A Ringling handler was hospitalized in a serious condition with bite wounds over much of his body when he was attacked by one of the tigers.
- Ringlings Williston facility was quarantined because of elephants with tuberculosis. The facility remained under quarantine until September 11th 2000.

September 5th 1997 - August 14th 1996

- inadequate storage of animals food
- not providing environmental enrichment conditions for primates, the primates showed signs of stereotypic behaviors such as rocking, weaving, shaking, cage bar licking and chewing. All primates are housed singly.
- not providing adequate space for a baboon.
- not providing adequate shelter for a hippo. the length of the hippo was greater that the length of the pool.
- inadequate storage of animals food.
- inadequate storage of animals food.
- Not giving the elephants tetanus vaccinations, deworming or fecal exams.

September 30th 1995 - May 6th 1993

- A lion bit off the index finger of a 31 year old woman attending the circus.
- not having a program of veterinary care and no record of tetanus vacinations.
- Failure to have exercise programs for the animals.
- animal enclosures in need of repair.
- storing animal food in an unsanitary manner.
- During a routine inspection, an elephant was being beaten by a Ringling trainer. The USDA inspector stated
"Upon entering the facility i heared yelling and the sound of someone hitting something. I observed an elephant tainer hitting an elephant with the wooden end of the training tool, to get it up."
- Failure to handle animals in such a way that there is minimal risk of harm to the animal and the public.
- cited for electrical wires hanging loose inside a lions cage.
- failure to provide bears with the minimal space required.
- failure to provide a program for exercise
- a Ringling elephant killed her trainer in Gainesville, the elephant knocked down the 51 year old trainer and stepped on his chest.

1992-

- Ringling disposed of five tigers who were of no use to the circus by giving them to New Jersey resident Joan Byron-Marasek,who owns a poorly maintained private menagerie. One of the Ringling tigers killed four other tigers at the facility.