ATTN: Christian Ulbrich, Chief Executive Officer and President of JLL. 

UPDATE: March 2026 - PLEASE READ

For the first time in three years, a circus exploiting animals for profit will darken the doors of Philadelphia. Circuses with no animals are very popular in Philadelphia, with national circuses Ringling Bros. and UniverSoul regularly touring the city with near-sell out shows. Yet Garden Bros. still forcing live animals to "entertain" visitors for profit. While Garden Bros. Circus reportedly does not have animals performing in their shows, they force chained ponies to circle endlessly on a grim and ghoulish version of a live merry-go-round. And now this nightmare is back with four days of animal abuse. 

Back in 2023, when Garden Bros. Circus was last promoting its animal-abusing entertainment in Philadelphia, the property was owned by Simon Property Group. The property is now listed for sale through Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. (“JLL”).  We are now directing this petition to Christian Ulbrich, Chief Executive Officer and President of JLL to request that JLL implement a ban on live animal exploitation while sale of the property is pending.

Garden Bros, will be forcing ponies to carry kids of all sizes on March 26, 27, 28 and 29. Local groups including Animal ACTIvists of Philly will be organizing protests of most shows.

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Tell Simon Property Group you disapprove of its leasing space to Garden Bros. Circus and any other circus with animals. The circus has a long history of public deception and animal abuse, but despite receiving information from  Animal ACTivists of Philly and others, Simon Property Group refuses to enforce a ban on animal acts on its properties.

Simon Property Group has a policy of not permitting the exhibition of animals on its properties. Link here for details.* Yet on June 14 through June 25 2023, Garden Bros. Circus set up in the parking lot of the Philadelphia Mills Mall (a property owned by Simon Property Group) with ponies and dogs as part of the show. 
*Note: although the policy specifies "wild" animals, it's clear that the intent is to eliminate abusive animals acts, In addition, Simon Property Group has a blanket policy of not permitting animals other than service animals at its malls. 

While in Philadelphia, the ponies were shackled to a mechanical device functioning as a live merry-go-round, a never-ending nightmare for the ponies forced to take anyone who would pay the going rate on their backs. When not used as machinery, the vulnerable ponies were confined on cement with a scattering of wood chips in sweltering heat. Dogs were also exploited in the show; forced to perform repetitive tricks that make no sense to them under hot lights and cheering crowds. 

While they’re being hauled around the country from venue to venue, the dogs and ponies are crammed into the backs of trucks or vans. The very nature of a circus involves spending the majority of time traveling from town to town. For the animals involved this means spending stressful hours in very small containers on a regular basis, subjected to a lot of noise, often with little ventilation and no form of enrichment.

This abuse of ponies and dogs in Philadelphia is nothing new for this circus.  Garden Bros. Circus has a long history of abusing animals, including employing workers who have been caught striking an elephant in the face with a bullhook, whipping a llama onstage, and denying veterinary care to wounded and injured animals. For more information on Garden Bros. Circus click here.

Simon Property Group needs to hear from compassionate people like you that they need to honor their policy of no animal acts and only allow animal-free entertainment on their properties. Thank you for taking action to help defenseless animals!