Lawsuit Against UniverSoul Circus Will Proceed Amid NASDAQ Debacle

For Immediate Release:
April 15, 2016

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

UniverSoul Circus, which is scheduled to ring the closing bell at the NASDAQ MarketSite this afternoon, over massive objections, has just lost its motion to dismiss a class-action consumer fraud lawsuit in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia concerning the treatment of elephants, tigers, and other animals forced to perform in its circus.

In refusing to throw out the lawsuit, the court said that the plaintiff, a D.C. mother, provides numerous instances in which animal exhibitors have received citations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture while working with UniverSoul, demonstrating that at least some of UniverSoul’s public assertions may be misrepresentations that constitute violations of the D.C. consumer fraud law, the Consumer Protection Procedures Act.

“UniverSoul can’t cover up the fact that its exhibitors have broken the law and bullied tigers, elephants, and other animals into performing dangerous stunts,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is calling on families to stay far away from this cruel circus.”

PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment,” and more information about this lawsuit is available here.