Native Americans traditionally believe that animals are equal in rights to humans, and communicated tribal history, thoughts, ideas, and dreams from generation to generation through symbols, including animal symbols, that they believe represent the physical form of spirit helpers and guides. Animals are very special to Native Americans, and while praying, they often ask for the spirit of an animal to help them. Animals play an important role in the belief system of Native American Indians, who believe that animals possess an inherent virtue, power and wisdom.

The Shinnecock Nation has invited the Cole Brothers Circus to their Pow-Wow grounds located in the Town of Southampton, New York for the past few years, and solicits the public to attend this circus, which will take place from Monday August 3, 2015 to Wednesday, August 5, 2015.

The routine mistreatment of animals by Cole Brothers is a known fact, and the Shinnecock Nation has been repeatedly asked NOT to invite the Cole Brothers Circus to their reservation. The Town of Southampton BANNED this type of animal act years ago, yet the Shinnecock Nation ignores the laws of the town in which the reservation is located, and hosts the circus anyway. 

CLICK HERE for Recent Incidents Involving Animals at Cole Brothers Circus

Cole Brothers Circus has failed to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Cole Brothers Circus numerous times for failure to provide veterinary care, adequate shelter from the elements, and proper food and water, as well as failure to handle animals in a manner that prevents trauma and harm and ensures public safety. 

CLICK HERE for Recent Incidents Involving Animals at Cole Brothers Circus.

It is unconscionable that the Shinnecock Nation, a federally recognized Native American Tribal Nation, would support animal abuse, and the undersigned implores the Shinnecock Nation to CANCEL the Cole Brothers Circus. 

There are many alternative entertainment options the Shinnecock Nation could offer the community other than the Cole Brothers Circus (formerly Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus), which has an appalling history of endangering the public and abusing elephants, lions, tigers, bears, baboons, monkeys, camels, and llamas, all of whom endure years of physical and psychological pain and suffering in traveling acts.

Cole Brothers Circus uses captive wildlife to “entertain” an uninformed audience. They routinely offer FREE tickets to children at area businesses, as a way to bring spectators to the "show". Due to their USDA probation, Cole Brothers is currently prohibited from owning their own animals. To get around this, they lease animals and trainers from Carson and Barnes, whose head elephant trainer, Tim Frisco, is notorious for beating elephants. An undercover video of elephant training has Tim Frisco screaming "Sink that hook into 'em...when you hear that screaming then you know you got their attention... Right here in the barn. You can't do that on the road. I'm not going to touch her in front of 1,000 people... She's gonna ****ing do what I want and that's just the ****ing way it is...."

You can view this video by clicking here.​

This video shows how circus elephants are treated.

WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT AND LANGUAGE

Please sign this petition to tell the Shinnecock Nation, including their leaders and members, that abuse is NOT entertainment, and ask them to choose compassion over cruelty and CANCEL the Cole Brothers Circus.