The Kosair Shine Circus is coming to town in Louisville Kentucky at Broadbent Arena soon and the goal is to get legislation in place to stop the misuse and mistreatment of animals in circus. How are we going to do this? There are ways in which are state can in and make laws outlined below, and performances I would personally want removed from the circus. Kosair Shine Circus partners with Carden Circus, a known negligent organization towards its animals andhas had to release several animals to sanctuary already in the past due to their mistreatment. Please take the time to read through the petition fully to understand the message. 

 

Goals for Kosair Shine Circus and Carden Circus to End 

• No camel rides
• No pony/horse rides 
• No elephant usage during the shows
• Releasing the elephants to a retirement facility such as a sanctuary - elephants walk up to 4 miles a day in the wild with their pack
• No use of bison in the show 
• Releasing bison to sanctuary or preferably out west in a national park
• No use of zebra in the show 
• Releasing zebra to a zoo 
• No tiger usage in the show
• Surrendering the tigers to a sanctuary or zoo for retirement 
• Surendering the camels to a zoo or wildlife sanctuary 
• Surendering the ponies/horses to a sanctuary for retirement 
• No use of dogs in the show
• Giving the dogs to a loving home where they can retire 
• No use of goats in show
• Releasing goats to a farm, zoo, or sanctuary 
• No use of cats (big and domesticated) in the show 
• Giving the domesticated cats to a loving home where they can retire 
• Retire the big cats to a wildlife sanctuary or zoo
• Retire ALL animals, and do not invest in more animals for future acts/performances, and agree to stop using animals in circus 
• Remove all animals from merchandise for Shrine and Carden
• Remove all animal photos from website, FB, instagram, or other social media for Shrine and Carden 
• Remove all animal pictures from advertising for Shrine ans Carden

What performances can/should the circus still perform? 

All human performances or participants 

• BMX tricks
• juggling and balancing 
• acrobatics 
• tightrope walking 
• unicycling 
• clown showman work
• face painting
• bouncy castles
• vendoring (popcorn, drinks, snacks, peanuts, cotton candy)
• baloon animals
• dance events
• karaoke 
• fire eating, fire dancing 
• contorting 
• magician 
• trapeze 
• cyr wheel
• sword swallowing
• stilt walking 
• plate spinning 
• mime
• jump rope / double Dutch
• hand walking
• yo-yo-ing
• baton twirling
• flag twirling 
• pogo sticking
• puppetry
• bikes (old time, regular, bmx, tiny kids trike) 
• merch can include showcasing star acts, clowns, or circus name
• ads can include showing star acts, clowns, or circus name 

Jan 30-Feb 1 of 2025 are the tentative dates for this year’s circus show. Please consider signing the petition to help spread awareness on this topic, and to help reduce the misuse and mistreatment of animals. 

Why does this matter?

Kosair charities promotes fundraising towards children who they are enhancing the health and wellbeing of by providing them services such as financial support, advocacy and education. 

I believe Kosair’s mission and goal of what it is trying to achieve for its children is the opposite of what is being protrayed at the kosair shrine circus with the unfair and unjust treatment of animals. Kosair advocates for those who may not be able to advocate for themselves, and that is what speaking up about animal welfare is about.

Laws and legislative procedures for the circus no longer having animals that can be put into action…

TEAPSPA Covers Exotic Animals Such as: 

elephants
big cats (lions, tigers) 
bears 

However the state of Kentucky does not have any restrictions or regulations on these animals traveling to kentucky in circuses. My goal is to implement a law to protect them from being traveled to this state. 

The circus is catering to acts that now have species such as domestic and farm animals / livestock and these animals are not protected under the TEAPSPA. Such as:

domesticated house cats

domesticated dogs
horses
goats 
camels 
bison

Incorporating animals that fall under the category of farm animals or livestock to pass by this act is something the circus tries to do to go around the rules, however they will be called out on their misconduct of animals. 

Health and Safety of Animals

Any domesticated animal needs vaccinations especially dogs and cats. These animals are at a higher likelihood of contracting diseases and illnesses by traveling and performing in different environments and traveling frequently. If they are not given the proper medical attention and treatment these animals can become extremely ill, and fall subject to long term illnesses or die from contracting diseases such as parvo virus, kennel cough, and rabies. 

https://pinedaleanimalhospital.com/pet-travel-risks-diseases-to-watch-for-on-the-road/

At minimum circus needs to provide vaccination proof for each of its dogs, and cats as well as show they are state licensed in Missouri. These vaccines should include flu, rabies, bordatella, distemper, parvovirus, lyme, kennel cough, lepto, and hepatitis for dogs. These vaccines come in DHPP (DHPPL) (distemper, hepatitis, kennel cough, parvovirus with lepto), Rabies, Bordatella, Lyme, Flu. These should be administered each year or depending on the strength of vaccination administered. 

For cats these should include flu, rabies, FVRCP, FeLV for every 1-3 years depending upon the strength of vaccination administered. 

Each dog and cat should be treated with topical flea and tick prevention monthly as well as be given flea and tick preventative collars. 

Elephants also require regular monitoring for their yearly vaccinations and check ups as they are prone to getting sick with a virus that could become deadly to themselves and if spread to other elephants called EEHV. Vaccinations that elephants need are EEHV, EMCV, and rabies. 

The CDT vaccine should be given to all camels annually as well as the rabies vaccination. 

Vaccinations for big cats (lions,tigers)  should include but are not limited to FVR, FCV, FPV, distemper, rabies, and FeLV. 

Horse and pony vaccines should include Flu, Rhino, Strangles, EEE/WEE, tetanus, West Nile Virus, Lepto, Botulism.

Public safety is also at risk during these events. at the end of the day, these are animals, though they are “trained” they are animals and will decide to do whatever they want to do. If an animal decides to not perform, or to break away during a performance this could be dangerous to the circus performers as well as to the audience. Elephants have tried escaping circus before, and during these events, it can cause extreme havoc for the animal, and also the animal may direct its emotional frustration towards its circus handlers and be extremely mad at them.

https://youtube.com/shorts/NyRvaTR5rIo?si=gPom2y7jR1iX1Aqz​

https://youtu.be/Vfmj0Y7VQjk?si=cL1p_2EcUpfLl2nf

Not only has our Louisville Zoo made the conscious and forward thinking move to putting our elephants in a sanctuary. I believe it is time that circus moves in that same direction. many circuses have already made the decision to go completely animal free and solely focus on human based performances. 

https://www.peta.org/living/entertainment/animal-free-circuses/​

https://www.bornfreeusa.org/2005/07/13/animal_free_circuses/​

https://www.idausa.org/campaign/elephants/5-best-animal-free-circuses/

I believe that the use of big cats and circus is also at harm to the performers and to the cats. These animals are being put at risk as well as the handlers. The handlers could perform with these animals for years however, there are a plethora of instances of handlers getting injured, mauled, bit, scratched, or worse by big cats.

https://youtu.be/k9Aj2qTOWVI?si=8AAH_sa9k7z1iajM

https://youtu.be/URzUNT7JoD0?si=hXgY-q3f_aC3KE63​

https://youtu.be/VJgsmr92udc?si=rYaQ2FnaQIO7ThpQ

https://youtu.be/FmhI1pG4pZ4?si=hcmL752Y5V3H0OUo

Not the animal most people would think of being violent camels may also act out if provoked. These animals are often used for camel riding, and they should not be exposed to the public and such a way where the public may also be at risk of potentially setting off an animal negatively. 

https://www.quora.com/Two-people-are-dead-after-a-camel-attack-in-a-West-Tennessee-petting-farm-Are-camels-usually-violent-animals

https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/camel-rides/​

https://youtu.be/W6BkLRHDQPw?si=PGiQN8HdNLfLLJcG

Though considered under the category of farm animals, horses are well known for  having a powerful kick if provoked or sometimes not even spooked. A horses kick is extremely powerful and could potentially be fatal. Horses can also buck their riders off of them without notice causing damage to the rider if kicked, trampled, or flown/shaken off the horse to the ground. 

https://youtu.be/ZnXZP-4UX-E?si=4StuH122nZLURHxD​

https://youtu.be/hjzY1ORN6YA?si=xIuv4WxCaodlaWeH​

https://youtu.be/YaXvFjylks4?si=2hfW1fLxx739FUtM​

https://youtube.com/shorts/-4Jnm9zEKzY?si=2JgL7LvBdVBkN4Ha

If any of these animals end up, running away from circus that also can cause dangerous exposure of an exotic animal to the wild. These animals could breed with other species or potentially over populate that current species. We have seen this happen when people release animals into nature that should not be released, and then they become overpopulated in parts of the world. Many of these animals from circus are bought from private breeders who over breed animals for profit. This is a part of a dangerous pet trading industry where animals do end up released into the wild that should not be released. These are then labeled as invasive species. 

https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2025/12/11/florida-sees-sharp-rise-in-pet-surrenders-and-invasive-species-released-into-the-wild

https://www.worldanimalprotection.ca/blogs/7-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-keep-wildlife-pets/

What can we do as a state?

Comprehensive bans - having broad laws that prohibit most wild/exotic animals in taveling acts. 

(Examples of states that have done this are New Jersey, Hawaii, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington) 

Species Specific Bans - focusing on a specific species to prohibit from being in traveling shows 

(Examples are New York and Illinos for Elephants) 

Method Specific Bans - focusing on what tools are used for and during training as well as performing. The Carden Circus uses horse whips in their video found on their website. This could be included in the method specific ban.

(Examples banning the use of bull hooks, fire poker like devices for elephants) 

Setting an example to be like countries who have national laws in place that ban the use of animals all together in circus such as Bolivia, Greece, Israel, and Mexico. 

Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act 

State Definitions of Livestock - Should bison and Camels be considered livestock and if so why? 

Zoning Laws - should these lovestock animals be paraded around and be made to learn and perform multiple times per week while traveling across multiple state lines? Should kentucky consider this a violation of zoning laws and not being in a residential or agricultural zone? 

Animal health regulations- Which state is overseeing these livestock animals health? Would it be the state they are coming from Missouri? If so when they come to travel to each state they should be able to provide copies of medical records for each individual animal and for vaccinations, immunizations, and prescriptions. Why is this important? Animals can carry diseases that can transfer to humans. What are these diseases called? Zoonotic diseases. These are found in a variety of animals including dogs, cats, birds, bats, poultry, cattle, reptiles, rodents, livestock, soil and insects. 

https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/animal/zoo/index.html

Liability laws- who would be responsible for animals roaming freely or breaking free in a circus setting? Would it fall under the states jurisdiction that they so happen to be traveling in at the time? Not to mention the damage that could be caused by larger aniamls like an elephant if trampling equipment or infrastructure in a building. Does that liability fall subject to the circus or to the state of Kentucky? 

Taxation- Should the agricultural sector of the circus be exempt or taxed more when being allowed into another state? Should they be paying the state money to perform their show due to the liability their performance can cause with the amount of animals being handled in one area. This is often referred to as the “jock tax”. This can be calculated with the Duty Days Method towards the circus and its performers. If choosing to continue performing with animals the tax rate can be higher as incentive to remove then from their show, and once they do lower the % back. 

https://alpinemar.com/blog/jock-tax-explained/#:~:text=The%20jock%20tax%20is%20a,keep%20more%20of%20your%20earnings

https://www.pbig.ml.com/articles/tax-planning-tips-for-athletes-and-entertainers.html#:~:text=Many%20states%20require%20athletes%20and,resident%20state%20income%20tax%20returns

https://thehustle.co/why-athletes-and-some-remote-workers-owe-a-jock-tax-wherever-they-go

Aniaml Abuse - cruelty, neglect and inhumane treatment these animals are made to perform and not live their lives as aniamls. Animals are not meant to be circus acts for public consumption and entertainment purposes. This is a clear sign of inhumanity and cruelty. Lack of food, water, shelter or vet care. These animals have had a history of vet neglect in the past, and have continued to be neglected of yearly visits from the vet at minimum from the amount of work they put in training for circus. They have had previous violations in meeting the minimum requirements for size needed to accommodate animals in their enclosure space, which is another sign of neglect and abuse.

https://www.bornfreeusa.org/2005/02/17/circus_violations_of_the_animal_welfare/​

https://www.elephants.com/pdf/tn_circus_citations.pdf

The USDA still approved the Carden Circus after almost 30 violations from 1994 from 2013 towards the treatment of their animals. 

https://www.kcrg.com/2025/02/18/city-cedar-rapids-approves-carden-circus-permit-despite-usda-violations/

Facebook · The Elephant Commentator1 comment  ·  10 months agoCarden Circus Permit Approval Despite Animal Cruelty Violations

Public Safety Violations that would pertain to circus while the use of animals during performances are misconduct in an emergency or inducing panic. These would pose an extreme risk to the safety of the public and the animals. These are commonly referred to as disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace. I believe that focusing on the safety of the public as well as the animals can help reduce the risk of dangerous situations from occurring. 

https://www.findlaw.com/criminal/criminal-charges/public-safety-violations.html#:~:text=State%20and%20local%20authorities%20may,an%20emergency%2C%20or%20inducing%20panic

References:

https://supershrinecircus.com/behind-the-scenes/​

https://www.kosair.org/mission​

https://www.kosaircircus.com/event-ticket-information/​

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/elephant/#:~:text=Elephants%20need%20extensive%20land%20areas,matter%20in%20a%20single%20day​

https://aldf.org/issue/animals-in-entertainment/​

https://www.worldanimalprotection.us/take-action/wildlife-not-entertainers/​

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_circus_skills​

https://kosair.com/clubs/​

https://www.kosair.org/staff​

https://www.kosair.org/staff?department=Board%20of%20Directors​

https://www.facebook.com/100064648963378​

https://antiochshrine.com/ladies/​

https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/shriners-international-kosair-temple,610119287/