In a protest called “massive” by a local television station, author and fitness guru Jillian Michaels led the charge alongside producer Sam Simon, Twilight‘s Christian Serratos, The Secret Life of the American Teenager‘s Renee Olstead, and hundreds of demonstrators outside the Los Angeles Staples Center to call attention to the abuse of elephants by the … Read more »
The owner of an Iowa roadside zoo called “Cricket Hollow” has suffered wounds to his head and torso after being attacked by a tiger there. Cricket Hollow is no stranger to problems: PETA has previously filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the local sheriff’s department about filthy conditions and animals who … Read more »
Actor and mom Constance Marie has fired off a letter to Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido to ask that he put an end to the elephant rides at the Santa Ana Zoo. Constance, who stars in ABC Family’s new show Switched at Birth, was sickened after watching video footage of trainers with Have Trunk Will … Read more »
PETA has obtained copies of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports that describe repeated citations against the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for failing to adhere to the bare minimum regulations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. According to the most recent USDA inspection report, Ringling has failed to provide adequate veterinary … Read more »
Less than two months ago, PETA called on the Little Rock Zoo to retire its lone elephant, Ellen, (Mary, her companion, had just died), and send her to a sanctuary where she could spend her remaining years in peace and comfort. Now it’s too late: Ellen is dead. Benoit Dupont/cc by 2.0 Rather than … Read more »
PETA members converged on the Hollywood premiere of the new movie Zookeeper to remember Tweet, a giraffe who collapsed and died on set during the movie’s production. An elephant used in the film may also have been abused. Animal Defenders International took video footage of elephants as they were beaten and shocked by trainers at Have … Read more »
Despite the fact that footage of a handler with Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT) beating and shocking an elephant named Tai has been widely publicized, California institutions continue to hire the shady outfit. In addition to the Santa Ana Zoo, which offers rides on elephants provided by HTWT, the city of Sierra Madre, California, had … Read more »
Animal Defenders International (ADI), which released video footage of an elephant, Tai, and others being hit with bullhooks and shocked with a stun gun, has filed suit against exhibitor Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT) for allegedly making misleading claims about how Tai was treated. PETA Files readers may recall that HTWT is the same outfit … Read more »
PETA is calling on authorities to take action in the wake of a vicious beating of an elephant traveling with the Cole Bros. Circus. Last week in Lanesboro, Massachusetts, a citizen took video footage and gave an eyewitness account of the beating of an elephant, who was repeatedly hit with a bullhook. The handler yelled … Read more »
Despite being informed about the cruelty of hauling elephants around in tractor trailers and “controlling” them with bullhooks, California’s Orange County Fair is going ahead with plans to offer elephant rides provided by an outfit called “Have Trunk Will Travel” (HTWT). HTWT is the same exhibitor that was caught on tape hitting elephants with bullhooks … Read more »
Zina and Jewel, two aging elephants who have spent nearly their entire lives with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (Jewel since 1954 and Zina since 1972), have been “donated” by the circus to the Little Rock Zoo. Some “retirement”: The Little Rock Zoo still uses the cruel and archaic free-contact system to … Read more »
ViNull/cc by 2.0 Tennessee officials agreed with PETA that the Knoxville Zoo should be penalized for allowing handlers to come into direct contact with elephants and has recommended $8,400 in fines in connection with the death of a handler earlier this year. Since the attack, the zoo has switched to a safer and more humane … Read more »
Sweet Georgia Brown! Or should I say, “Sweet Fulton County Board of Commissioners”? Earlier today, following pressure from PETA, concerned members of the community, and celebrities like Demi Moore, the board approved a ban on the use of bullhooks—batons with a sharp metal hook on the end that are used to hit captive elephants in order to keep … Read more »
Queenie, an Asian elephant who spent her entire life in captivity, has died at Georgia’s Wild Adventures Water and Theme Park at age 59. Queenie was only 6 months old when her owner began training her to water ski—yes, water ski—at a Florida theme park. For 15 years in the ’50s and ’60s, Queenie performed … Read more »
Another circus, another ailing elephant. After PETA filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) about severely underweight elephants traveling with the Hanneford Family Circus, inspectors found that Liz, a 36-year-old Asian elephant, is so thin that her ribs, pelvis, and spine are protruding. Liz also has deformities of one front leg and … Read more »
