Pint-Sized Ballerinas to Lead Hundreds of Protesters Against Ringling Bros. in Brooklyn
Ringling’s Latest Veterinary-Care Violation Prompts Brooklyn Blitz
For Immediate Release:
February 19, 2015
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Dressed in colorful fluffy tutus, young ballerinas from the Cynthia King Dance Studio with signs proclaiming, “The Circus Is Tutu Cruel!” will lead hundreds of protesters from PETA, NYCLASS, Long Island Orchestrating for Nature, Friends of Animals United, and other groups outside the Barclays Center on Thursday, the opening night of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The protesters will display gigantic posters emblazoned with haunting photographs of elephants’ eyes as they inform kids and parents that Ringling 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: Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn
When: Thursday, February 19, 6 p.m.
“Keeping elephants chained on hard surfaces causes arthritis and foot problems, the leading reasons why captive elephants are euthanized—yet Ringling Bros. turns a buck by continuing to chain lame elephants and drag them from arena to arena,” says PETA Foundation Deputy General Counsel Delcianna Winders. “PETA is calling on parents, grandparents, and everyone who cares about animals to keep their families far away from this elephant-abusing circus.”
Photos taken inside Ringling’s training center reveal how baby elephants are jabbed with bullhooks—weapons that resemble a fireplace poker with a sharp metal hook on one end—to force them to perform circus tricks out of fear of punishment. Emmy- and Golden Globe–winning actor Edie Falco stars in a video for PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—asking parents to stay away from circuses.
For more information, please visit PETA’s website RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.
