Sad Clowns to Call Out Ringling for Abusing Animals

PETA Protesters Will Draw Attention to Circus’s Violent Treatment of Baby Elephants

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Five sad clowns will converge on Philadelphia in the lead-up to a scheduled appearance by the notoriously cruel Ringling Bros. circus. The PETA members—decked out in full clown makeup—will greet passersby with coloring books, stickers, and leaflets about Ringling, reminding children and families to skip the circus and spare elephants and other animals painful beatings with bullhooks—weapons that resemble a fireplace poker with a sharp metal hook on one end—and constant confinement. The circus was recently caught denying veterinary care to three suffering elephants—and possibly leaving them locked in boxcars—for as long as four days at a time while on the road.

Where:           The intersection of Ninth and Market streets, Philadelphia

When:             Saturday, February 7, 1:30 p.m.

“Children are naturally drawn to animals, and most would run screaming from the big top if they knew that elephants are torn away from their mothers and hooked and jabbed during training,” says PETA Foundation Deputy General Counsel Delcianna Winders. “PETA is calling on caring people to do the right thing for animals and kids by choosing animal-free entertainment.”

The protests won’t stop once the circus rolls into town: PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—is teaming up with Animal ACTivists of Philly for a series of additional demonstrations beginning on opening night (Wednesday), when protesters will gather to alert the public to Ringling’s violent training methods and history of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act (including the $270,000—the largest fine in circus history—its parent company paid in 2011).

For more information, please visit PETA’s website RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.