Victory! Elephants: 2, Ringling: 0
This has been a good week for elephants. Here’s why: When Ringling rolls into town, it often tries to partner with local businesses to promote the circus and give out tickets for free or at discounted prices (probably because fewer and fewer people actually buy them nowadays). Well, PETA is always right on Ringling’s heels, letting sponsors in on the beatings and misery that go on behind the scenes at the circus. This week, after hearing about Ringling’s history of cruelty to animals, both D’Agostino, a New York grocery store chain, and Florida’s Blood Centers have done the ethical thing by ending their partnerships and severing their ties with Ringling. (Yay!)
Thanks go out to everyone who participated in our action alert and told D’Agostino about elephant abuse in the circus. Your letters made a difference! D’Agostino and Florida’s Blood Centers now join Denny’s, Liz Claiborne, Lukoil, MasterCard, and Sears, all of which ended their Ringling sponsorships.
Well, Ringling, looks like you really should have taken us up on that offer to buy you an animatronic elephant to replace your live elephants. If you had, maybe people would actually want to support the circus again.
We encourage you to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or other media outlet urging your community to boycott animal circuses that might be rolling in the direction of your town. Click here to find media outlets in your area to contact.
Written by Liz Graffeo
