Take a close look at what happens behind the scenes of animal circuses and other coercive wild animal exhibitions and you will quickly see that the illusion of happy elephants, bears, lions and tigers eager to amuse are actually serious public safety hazards, an economic strain both locally and on a federal level, and completely contrary to our shared values as humanitarians and stewards of these beloved creatures.

Animal Abuse

Wild animals in circuses suffer for mere entertainment. The inherent cruelty of traveling almost every week a year, forced separation of herds and babies, being chained while not performing, restrictive caging, and coercive training methods are just a few reasons why circuses that use wild animals are inhumane.

Performing animals endure years of physical and psychological suffering. The tricks that animals are forced to perform are frightening, unnatural and even painful. Standard circus industry practice is to use bullhooks and other objects to poke, prod, strike, shock, and hit animals in order to “train” them.

Animals don't perform because they choose to. They have no choice – they're beaten until they comply.

Animals in circuses live miserable lives of punishment and confinement and are denied everything that is natural and important to them.

Public Safety

There is no predicting when an animal will respond aggressively to harsh treatment.

Animals forced to perform in circuses have been credited with the death of 132 people and injuring 480 since 1990, two notable accounts occurred in Indiana.

March 7, 2009 – Indianapolis, IN – At the Indiana State Fairgrounds, more than a dozen children waiting for a Shrine Circus elephant ride were injured when the elephant was startled and caused a scaffolding to give way.

January 31, 2005 – Fort Wayne, IN - An elephant trainer with Tarzan Zerbini Circus was trampled to death by an elephant as the animal was being loaded into a trailer following a performance.

More fatalities and injuries are inevitable if we continue to allow these exhibitions to continue.

Potential Spread of Disease

Elephants can carry dangerous diseases and transmit them to humans.

The USDA Agricultural Research Service has stated that “...tuberculosis (TB)s is common in elephants in zoos, circuses, and wildlife parks within the United States. This infection represents a serious risk to handlers, exhibit visitors and other animals.”

Transmission of TB may occur during activities such as touching or riding an elephant, and being touched by an elephant. Although there has been significant progress in TB testing for elephants, there are still many cases where an elephant has tested negative for TB only to test positive at a later date.

Proper vaccinations are essential but many circuses have received numerous citations for not providing proper veterinary care. One circus reportedly continued using elephants for rides after knowing the animals had tuberculosis. Another received several citations for traveling with tuberculosis quarantined elephants.

Economic

Not only are animal-free circuses more humane, and safer for the public, they are also more cost-effective and profitable without putting a burden on tax payers. According to the USDA the average cost of “an Animal Welfare Inspection” in 2010 was $1363.00. To give just one example of how this adds up, the USDA records show that the animals with Carson and Barnes were inspected 42 times from 2007 to 2010. If the average cost of an animal welfare inspection is in the region of $1363 the total cost of those 42 inspections was around $57,246.00 (This is the cost of only one show over
only three years!) Imagine this cost compounded over multiple animal circuses year after year and you can begin to see the burden placed on the tax payers for these Wild Animal Exhibitions.

The cost of regulatory oversight goes beyond the federal level. Local animal control officers, state wildlife agencies and other local and state authorities are often called upon to investigate animal welfare and human safety concerns when a traveling animal circus comes to town. Therefore local resources are taken up with these inspections too.

To the contrary, human only circuses such as Circus Vargus not only avoid these costly regulations, inspections and public waste, but are also bringing in more money in ticket sales than animal circuses.

The average ticket cost for an animal circus brings less than $25.00 per ticket. The average ticket for human-only acts bring over $35.00 per ticket. Human only circuses are thriving. Cirque du Soleil has grown from one show in 1990 to 19 shows performing in 271 cities including 8 in Las Vegas,
generating an estimated $810+ MILLION annually. In sharp contrast the Piccadilly Circus recently canceled shows across Southern California due to poor ticket sales.

Guy Laliberte, The founder and director of Cirque du Soleil said, “I'd rather feed three artists than one elephant”

Cities around the world have recognized the importance of protecting both wild animals and the public:

Growing public support has lead more than 39 cities in 22 states across the country to taken action to restrict wild animals from traveling circuses including: St. John, IN; Dane County, WI; Richmond, MO, six counties/towns in MA and FL; eight municipalities in CA including the city of Irvine; and more.

Local ordinances are also in place in the UK, Canada, Brazil, China, Austria and many other countries.

We have already made progress here in Allen County by prohibiting the use of chemical, manual, and electrical means of making an animal perform. Now, let us continue that progress by banning the display of wild or exotic animals for entertainment.

Please show your support by signing our petition urging Allen County Commissioners to create an ordinance banning animal circuses in Allen County.