Demopolis, Ala.--- This morning, PETA fired off a letter to Demopolis High School Principal Dr. Isaac Espy, alerting him that the Carson & Barnes Circus—which will be at the high school next Wednesday, October 26—has had to pay nearly $1,000 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for two separate alleged violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). PETA is urging him not to host Carson & Barnes in the future.
PETA has obtained shocking videotape footage of Carson & Barnes’ trainers attacking elephants with steel-tipped bullhooks and shocking them with electric prods as the animals scream and recoil in pain. The video shows the head trainer instructing other handlers to make sure that such beatings are always severe and never carried out in public view. The undercover videotape reveals standard elephant-training practices used by the circus industry. Abusers are rarely caught because most of the cruelty takes place behind the scenes. A U.S. District Court judge who viewed the tape described it as "troubling" and noted that it depicts conduct that violates the AWA. Carson & Barnes agreed to pay $400 to avoid further action by the USDA.
Carson & Barnes also paid a $550 fine following a June 2003 incident in which two elephants were injured when their circus trailer overturned—the second such incident in less than a year. The circus has been cited by the USDA at least eight times since 1995 for failing to maintain its animal-transport trailers. In April 2004, Jennie, a 5-year-old endangered Asian elephant, died at the company’s facility in Hugo, Okla., after contracting a herpes virus. PETA points out that the stress of being separated from her mother, sent on the road at just 16 months of age, and subjected to intense training sessions, demanding performances, and constant travel is likely to have compromised Jennie’s immune system and left her vulnerable to infection.
"In circuses such as Carson & Barnes, bullhooks, electric-shock prods, whips, and chains are the rule," says PETA Director Debbie Leahy. "For them, the suffering and deaths of animals are no more than the cost of doing business."
Videotape footage of elephant beatings can be seen on PETA’s Web site Circuses.com. PETA’s letter to Dr. Isaac Espy follows.
October 19, 2005
Dr. Isaac Espy, Principal
Demopolis High School
607 Hwy. 80 W.
Demopolis, AL 36732
Dear Dr. Espy:
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a nonprofit organization with more than 850,000 members and supporters dedicated to animal protection. We are writing to alert you to disturbing information concerning the Carson & Barnes Circus, which is scheduled to perform at Demopolis High School on October 26. We ask that you consider the important information in this letter and make the compassionate decision not to host Carson & Barnes—or any other circus with animal acts—in the future.
Carson & Barnes Circus has agreed to pay nearly $1,000 to avoid further action by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in two separate alleged violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). A PETA investigator touring with the Carson & Barnes Circus recorded the enclosed video. Tim Frisco, the circus’s animal-care director, is shown viciously attacking and shocking terrified elephants. Frisco instructs other trainers to hurt the elephants until they scream and to sink a sharp metal bullhook into their flesh and twist it. Frisco also cautions that the beatings must be concealed from the public. A U.S. District Court judge who viewed the tape described it as "troubling" and noted that it depicts conduct that violates the AWA. Carson & Barnes agreed to pay $400 for mishandling elephants in order to avoid further action by the USDA in this matter.
Carson & Barnes also paid a $550 fine following a June 2003 incident in which two elephants were injured when the circus trailer overturned—the second such incident in less than a year. The circus has been cited by the USDA at least eight times since 1995 for failing to maintain its animal-transport trailers. Carson & Barnes has also been cited for failure to provide veterinary care, adequate space and ventilation, shelter from the elements, and clean drinking water.
In April 2004, Carson & Barnes’ 5-year-old elephant named Jennie died after contracting a herpes virus carried by African elephants. Jennie’s death might have been prevented if Carson & Barnes had followed even the most basic guidelines for elephant care. The circus subjected Jennie to the rigors of forceful training, performance, and travel at just 16 months of age, stressing her delicate immune system.
Beatings and extreme confinement are a part of everyday life for animals in circuses. We hope you agree that this abuse is unacceptable and must be stopped. I would be happy to answer any questions or supply additional information. You can contact me at 757-622-7382. I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Nicole Meyer, Elephant Specialist
Captive Exotic Animals Department
Link to elephant video
source
