The annual New Year’s Eve “Opossum Drop” in Brasstown, North Carolina, finally ended after 24 years, and the exhibitor canceled its USDA license. This archaic stunt—in which sensitive opossums were tormented by rowdy crowds, loud music, and fireworks—came to an end after being faced with growing local opposition, dwindling crowds, and a sustained PETA campaign.
After more than 42,000 PETA members and supporters told Adventures Within Reach that they oppose the use of elephants in the tourism industry, where the animals are often forcibly separated from their mothers as babies, tied down, beaten mercilessly, and gouged with sharp weapons, the company stopped offering activities featuring captive elephants, joining dozens of … Read more »
Two bears formerly kept on display in virtually barren cages at Tregembo Animal Park in North Carolina were rescued and moved to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado. The roadside zoo had been cited by the USDA after failing to provide one of the bears, Ben, with adequate veterinary care for severe facial lesions. The … Read more »
Officials in Lawrence County, Alabama, seized Nosey the elephant after she was found confined to a trailer, standing in feces, and without proper shelter. She was placed at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee temporarily. There, she received daily veterinary care and had acres of rolling hills to roam, trees to scratch on, sand to dust … Read more »
Notorious animal exhibitor Hawthorn Corporation—which made a business out of leasing elephants and tigers to circuses—closed! This came after years of PETA protests and lawsuits and fines for over $270,000 in penalties from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dozens of animals died on Hawthorn’s watch, including Tyke the elephant, who was shot and killed … Read more »
Few businesses have caused animals more pain and suffering than the notorious Hawthorn Corporation, which leased elephants and tigers to groups such as Carden Circus International, Royal Hanneford Circus, and Shrine circuses. This longtime PETA target had been under fire from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for years. Dozens of tigers had died on … Read more »
After more than 128,000 PETA members contacted more than 50 venues and sponsors of the Kelly Miller Circus about its contracts with abusive animal exhibitors, the circus just couldn’t fill seats, so its owner, John Ringling North II, was forced to sell it and retire. According to him, city officials and circus sponsors have been … Read more »
New York–based travel company smarTours removed elephant rides from all 18 of its India tours after learning from PETA that elephants at Amber Fort in Jaipur are forced to carry tourists uphill for hours on end, even in scorching temperatures, under the constant threat of violence. smarTours joins more than three dozen other travel companies … Read more »
After meeting with PETA and learning that circuses force animals to perform through violence and domination, the Hastings Civic Arena in Hastings, Minnesota, confirmed that it will no longer host circuses that use animals. It joins more than 620 venues nationwide that have prohibited cruel animal acts.
After learning that the Tarzan Zerbini Circus was headed to the Times Union Center in Albany, New York, PETA told the venue about the cruelty inherent in animal circuses, Tarzan Zerbini’s history of animal-welfare concerns, and details about the pending New York legislation that would prohibit the use of elephants in traveling shows statewide. Following … Read more »
After receiving complaints that Trione Vineyards and Winery in Geyserville, California, was set to host Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT) in October, PETA informed the winery about the egregious cruelty and public-safety risks inherent in exploiting elephants for entertainment. Just hours after learning that trainers with HTWT were caught on camera shocking elephants with electric … Read more »
After learning that the Kelly Miller Circus was headed to the Wisner Memorial Stadium in Pontiac, Michigan, PETA told the venue and its sponsors that the circus contracts with abusive exhibitors for its cruel animal acts. Centro Multicultural La Familia dropped its sponsorship of this and all animal circuses after it quickly recognized that a … Read more »
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revoked the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) exhibitor license of Summer Wind Farms Sanctuary, where a PETA eyewitness exposé revealed chronic neglect. The USDA ordered the Brown City roadside zoo to sell or donate most of the animals there to other facilities, and if it fails to do so … Read more »
PETA contacted T-Mobile—the nation’s third-largest wireless phone company—after discovering that it was giving away goldfish during the Taste of Times Square event in New York City. After learning that goldfish are sensitive, intelligent animals—not disposable marketing props—the company confirmed that it was an isolated incident and wouldn’t be repeated.
