Historical Society Board Meeting Faces Protest
Board Members Asked to Stop Hiring Exhibitors Who Are Caught Abusing Animals
For Immediate Release:
September 5, 2019
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Inside the meeting, a PETA representative will address the Wisconsin Historical Society’s board. Outside, led by a costumed “tiger,” PETA supporters with signs proclaiming, “Tigers Whipped and Caged for Circus World,” will gather to challenge the society to stop hosting known animal abusers at Circus World.
When: Friday, September 6, 9:30 a.m.
Where: Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St. (near the intersection with N. Park Street), Madison
The protest follows the release of a new document revealing that Circus World’s big-cat exhibitor, Ryan Easley—who was caught on video violently whipping tigers during training sessions—obtained tigers from Kevin “Doc” Antle, a roadside zoo and shopping mall tiger exhibitor who’s been cited for endangering the public, failing to provide animals with adequate veterinary care, and more.
“Today’s audiences are horrified to hear what the sleazy exhibitors hired by Circus World have been caught doing to wild animals,” says PETA Foundation Deputy Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Rachel Mathews. “PETA is calling on the Wisconsin Historical Society to cut ties with these abusive exhibitors and modernize by staying away from old-style animal acts.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.
