PETA Action Alert Calls On Circus World to Scrub Cruel Elephant Acts

Move Comes After Museum’s Chair Ducks Group’s Call for Face-to-Face Meeting

For Immediate Release:
March 20, 2014

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Baraboo-based Circus World Museum has a nasty habit of hosting abusive elephant acts, such as Carson & Barnes, which has been cited for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act more than 100 times, including last year while it was at Circus World for failure to show that it had given veterinary care to an underweight elephant with visible hip bones and shoulder blades. Circus World officials have refused to discuss the matter with PETA despite repeated requests. That’s why the group has posted an action alert on its popular website urging them to write the Circus World Museum Foundation’s board of directors and call for the venue to stop booking the cruel acts, including one scheduled to appear this summer. In the alert, PETA points out that many countries have banned elephant exhibits, as have various localities across the U.S. as well as private businesses, including arenas.

“No matter how many times the exhibitors hosted by Circus World get caught abusing animals and endangering the public, Circus World welcomes them with open arms,” says PETA Foundation Deputy General Counsel Delcianna Winders. “PETA is asking its members to tell Mr. Lipp to stop supporting animal abuse.”

In a sworn affidavit, a citizen detailed witnessing a Carson & Barnes handler’s attack on an elephant at another circus last year. According to the eyewitness, the handler forcefully struck the elephant with a bullhook—a weapon that resembles a fireplace poker—until the animal screamed. And an undercover video of a Carson & Barnes training session shows trainer Tim Frisco—who still works for Carson & Barnes—viciously attacking elephants with a bullhook and electro-shocking them. Also last year, Hugo Liebel—also recently hosted by Circus World—was ordered to pay $7,500 to settle almost three dozen charges, most of them related to his treatment of the elephant Nosey. Liebel has been cited for repeatedly chaining her so tightly that she couldn’t lie down or take more than a single step in any direction.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.