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UniverSoul Circus
In early July, a seriously ill kangaroo who was used by UniverSoul Circus
died in Nashville, Tennessee. The kangaroo was reportedly suffering from a deadly bacterial disease,
called "lumpy jaw," which may be caused by overcrowding, poor hygiene, or poor diet.
The circus was aware of this kangaroo's delicate condition yet continued to use him in performances
in which he was harassed into defending himself in a boxing routine and subjected him to the rigors of travel and constant confinement.
This kangaroo should have been taken off the road immediately after he was diagnosed with this usually fatal illness
and provided with medical care by a qualified veterinarian with experience in treating kangaroos.

UniverSoul Circus continues to exploit two other kangaroos who were exposed to this highly contagious disease.
It is imperative that the remaining kangaroos be taken off the road
and provided with appropriate veterinary treatment.
Fortunately, the Detroit Zoo has offered to provide expert medical treatment and a safe, nurturing home
for the surviving kangaroos if authorities seize them.
PETA first reported this kangaroo's condition to the USDA in June, before he died, and has made several subsequent complaints.
The USDA is supposed to enforce the minimum standards of care established in the federal Animal Welfare Act.
To date, there has been no response from the USDA to these complaints.
Please contact USDA officials and urge them to seize the circus's two surviving kangaroos immediately and launch an investigation into the death of the third kangaroo:
Dr. Elizabeth Goldentyre
USDA-APHIS Animal Care Ste. 200
920 Main Campus Dr.
Raleigh, NC 27606-5210 919-716-5532   919-716-5696 (fax)
In addition, please write to UniverSoul Circus officials and ask that they eliminate cruel animal acts from their circus.
Mr. Cedric Walker, President
UniverSoul Circus Ste. A
510 Whitehall St.
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-588-1235   404-681-9824 (fax)
UniverSoul Circus escapes the scrutiny of governing bodies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA
and local animal control agencies by not owning the animals used in its shows or possessing an exhibitor license.
The animals are leased from outside companies, including Tarzan Zerbini Circus.
Rte. 2, Box 195, Webb City, MO 64870
USDA License #43-C-0012
Fact Sheet
Tarzan Zerbini Circus has failed to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Tarzan Zerbini Circus for
failure to provide a veterinary care program and medical records,
failure to provide minimum space, and
failure to properly maintain transport vehicles.
Animals used by Tarzan Zerbini Circus have caused serious injury to children.
Contact PETA for documentation.

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"O" Magazine Promotes Elephants in Circuses as "Personal Balance"
As part of an article on personal balance in Oprah Winfrey's magazine,
there are 2 pictures of elephants in circuses "balancing".
One is on a ball; the other is on top of a half-pipe with a skateboard at her feet,
as if she were going to skateboard down.
Animals in circuses live lives of misery.
Elephants are chained by their legs and forced to travel the country most of the year.
"Trainers" use sharp bullhooks, whips, and electric prods to teach elephants and other animals to do unnatural tricks.
Baby elephants' spirits are broken when they are taken prematurely from their
mothers and put into the traveling shows.
In the wild, female elephants stay with their mothers and their herd for life.
The magazine fails to recognize elephants' unnecessary suffering in circuses
and perversely compares their tricks to how humans can hope to find balance
in juggling a busy schedule.
Awareness is growing about the plight of animal in circuses, but it has clearly not reached "O" magazine.
What we can do:
Please let the magazine know that glamorizing the circus sends an improper message and is not in line with the type of mental, emotional, and spiritual balance that is the magazine consistently recommends. Encourage the magazine to visit Circuses.com and to do a story about rescued circus elephants now living at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.
Contact O Magazine

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King Tusk
Ringling Bros. Asian Elephant Dies at Age 57
VIENNA, Va., Dec. 22, 2002
King Tusk, a 57-year-old male Asian elephant living in retirement with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, was humanely euthanized yesterday (Saturday, December 21). A magnificent and beautiful Asian elephant with 6-foot-long tusks, King Tusk was a star performer with Ringling Bros. in the 1980s and early 1990s. He passed away quietly at Ringling Bros. elephant retirement facility in northern Florida in the company of his pachyderm companions and human caretakers.
Also known as Tommy, King Tusk weighed more than 11,000 pounds, measured 10 feet at the tallest point of his back and 16 feet from tail to tusk tip and was thought to be the largest land mammal traveling the face of the earth while he was performing. In his later years, he developed osteoarthritis from being chained and had reached a point where everyday movement was painful, and he had become unresponsive to treatment.

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Anne

From Bobby's Website:
"By visiting Bobby Roberts Super Circus you experience much more than just looking at the circus elephants, as you do at the zoo, you have the opportunity of seeing these animals interacting with one another and with Bobby as they are put through a series of routines that encompass what they would normally do in the wild, but choreographed into an act."

Janie, Beverley, Annie

It has been reported that Janie and Beverley, Asian elephants belonging to Bobby Roberts, are dead. No information as to the cause of death has been released. CAPS is investigating.

"Your e-mails are always a JOY to receive, unfortunately being on the road 7 days a week we do not always have direct access to the Internet. We do our best to reply however we do ask that you bear with us as we do not always have Internet access available to us." bobby@bobby-roberts.co.uk

Golly boys and girls! Bobby's circus is so much fun! Be sure to send him an email and let him know how much you enjoy watching captive, tortured animals exploited for money!!

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U.S. Postal Service Certifies Cruelest Show on Earth
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus's latest publicity gimmick is to haul Bo the elephant to post offices to "deliver mail" while being escorted by a trainer threatening his every move with a sharp metal bullhook. This dangerous and cruel stunt is done with the permission of the United States Postal Service (USPS). Bo is a male elephant who was subjected to highly risky castration solely to keep him performing in circuses. Castrating elephants is major surgery because an elephant’s testicles are internal. Mortality rates for this procedure have approached 90 percent. Unless castrated, bull elephants are virtually worthless to circuses because they become extremely aggressive and unpredictable as they mature.
Ringling leases Bo from the George Carden Circus, a circus that was fined in May 2001 for cruelty to animals. Ringling's own U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection records are riddled with tragic animal deaths, violations, investigations, penalties, and warnings for violating minimum standards of care. Animals used in circuses live a dismal life of domination, confinement, and violent training. Please ask the USPS to cancel its Ringling promotions immediately.
Contact: John E. Potter, Postmaster General and CEO
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plz. S.W.
Washington, DC 20260
Tel.: 202-268-2284
Fax: 202-268-4860
E-Mail: pmgceo@email.usps.gov

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Costa Rican Animal Circus Ban Needs Your Support
Costa Rica is considering regulations to prohibit the use of animals in circuses. Please contact the Costa Rican minister of environment and justice and urge her to pass these very important regulations.

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ONE MORE STEP
UPDATE: NO MORE CRUEL CIRCUS IN MALTA
SOURCE: The Animal Spirit
Michael Pearson, Chairman World Animal Conscience
As you may be aware we have been campaigning against the exploitation of animals in circuses for a while now. (Malta Circus) The aim has always been to prevent them visiting Malta. This year matters came to a head with our demonstration and protest on the first nights performance. Sadly 7 of our protesters were injured in an unprovoked attack by circus employees. This attack was caught on video and is being used by the police who are charging 3 Italian employees of the Circus Città di Roma. The incident brought the issue to the attention of the media like never before, we have all been rushing from TV, to Radio to Newspapers, to give comments, explain the situation and debate the issue of animal cruelty in circuses. Today came the news we dreamed of, the following statement was issued by the promoters of the circus,
"Circus promoters CJ Productions Ltd said yesterday they would no longer bring circuses with animal acts to Malta, in a bid to fall in with the wishes of animal rights activists. Leo and Johann Said, of CJ Productions, said in a statement Città di Roma would be the last circus with animal acts they would bring to Malta."
So there is hope and although sometimes we all feel as if we are making little progress, this is a campaign that can be won. Every town, city or country that stops circuses is one more step on the way to the end of this outdated exploitation and cruelty.
Please pass onto anyone you think will be interested, and if you need any more information, just ask.
Take Care,
Michael Pearson, Chairman, World Animal Conscience
To World Animal Conscience: Congratulations! And thank you for this new and important step.
Jody@JodysJungle.com
and thank you to The Animal Spirit for this update! 1/1/02

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CARSON & BARNES CIRCUS
Caught Torturing Elephants
PETA has supplied undercover videotape to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that shows Carson & Barnes’ elephant trainer TIM FRISCO yelling at, cursing, viciously attacking, and shocking endangered Asian elephants. The elephants emit agonizing screams while recoiling from the assaults. Frisco instructs other elephant trainers to hurt the elephants until they scream, holler, and run away, to forcefully strike the elephants with a bullhook, and to sink a sharp metal bullhook into their flesh and twist it back and forth until they begin to scream in pain...
Story
There is also a link to the video, I don't recommend viewing it.

Circus Vargas Elephant Chained To Truck.
These animals spend 95% of their lives in chains or in trucks,
moved from city to city for Decades.
Earthlife.org.za

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Chained Between Performances,
All Day, Every Day

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Most elephants used by circuses were captured in the wild. Once removed from their families and natural habitat, their lives consist of little more than chains and intimidation. Baby elephants born in breeding farms are torn from their mothers, tied with ropes, and kept in isolation until they learn to fear their trainers. Do humans really want this for other living creatures? And if so, why?

"Performing"
So you like watching performing animals?
In order to "tame" them, they must be "broken", here is an unnamed three year old, chained, pulled, confined in an unnatural position, denied food, water, shelter, dignity, beaten with bullhooks, baseball bats, iron bars and wooden axe handles. And this is only a very small part of the story.
Some "trainers" have used bulldozers to get the chained elephants "attention".."teach them a lesson." Sometimes the elephants die, thank god, but never quickly, it takes a very long time for a being as large as an elephant to die. And sometimes the elephants don't die...

ELEPHANT AWARENESS
I hate these pictures, I can't even believe they are here on my page, I hate that this happens, but sometimes a picture smacks our emotions enough to wake us up. And if they don't...I have nothing to say to you..actually, I have A LOT to say to you...

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Factsheet from Circuses.com

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NEWS FLASH!
CIRCUS CHAIRMAN, FELD, IS AGAINST ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS
Mercury News Monday, Jan. 7, 2002
"Assailing the recent elephant abuse trial in San Jose, the CHAIRMAN of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus took out full-page newspaper ads Monday to condemn animal rights groups as animal killers, not protectors."
"FELD said he doesn't know if he'll take out other newspaper ads, but he hopes animal rights groups get his message and cease what he views as harassment tactics..."
Rest assured we got your message, MISTER FELD and we will be in touch.
Meanwhile...
Backstage at the circus

RINGLING BROS.CIRCUS
The Ringling Bros. trial was front page news and this is a crucial time to send letters to the editor of your local newspapers regarding the circus and your feelings about using animals for entertainment.
(Mark Oliver Gebel of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, son of the late legendary animal trainer Gunther Gebel-Williams, is accused of gouging the hide of Asia the elephant as she was being led into the ring of San Jose's Compaq Arena.)
For information regarding circuses,animal abuse, animal exploitation, public safety, visit:
HSUS..Big Lie..Big Top
Circuses.com
Contact The Media: Congress.org...Media Guide

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JOYCE

(Photo Courtesy of The Elephant Alliance)

Joyce, a pathetic victim of CIRCUS VARGAS,
was forced to continue working despite the fact that for years she was dying of Tuberculosis.
"After months of sickness, JOYCE collapsed and died. Three days later, HATTIE collapsed as she was being unloaded from a truck. Instead of calling a vet, CIRCUS VARGAS officials simply pushed her into a trailer, and she died all alone while being shipped back to winter quarters in Gray's Lake, Ill. Tests showed that both elephants had died of TB. Both Joyce and Hattie had given rides to children up until the day before their deaths."
The Story of JOYCE & HATTIE

Animals Who Suffer Under the "Big Top"

Suarez Seven Becomes Suarez Six:
A few days after a Puerto Rican judge failed to convict the Suarez Circus of animal cruelty charges, federal law enforcement officials entered the Suarez Circus and confiscated Alaska, one of the seven long suffering polar bears. Acting on DNA evidence that proves that the circus presented false documentation to the agency regarding the identity of at least one of the bears, the Fish and Wildlife Service seized Alaska and flew her to the Baltimore Zoo. While this is great news for Alaska, 6 polar bears are still languishing in glaringly inhumane conditions and are still forced to perform in Puerto Rico. Now, more than ever, letters are needed urging the USFWS to finish its job and confiscate the remaining "Suarez Six" for violations of the MMPA and the Lacey Act:
Chief, Permits Division
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Division of Management Authority
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22203
Fax: 703-358-2281

UPDATE
Suarez Bros. Circus Found NOT GUILTY
SOURCE: Winnipeg Free Press, Friday, March 1, 2002
(excerpts)
Animal rights activists in the United States and Puerto Rico were devastated yesterday when a Puerto Rican judge acquitted a circus owner charged with mistreating several polar bears. "It was a miscarriage of justice," said Delma Fleming, a volunteer with the Humane Society of Ponce, Puerto Rico. "There is no way that circus owner should have been acquitted with the evidence that was produced against him." Circus owner Raul Suarez faced two animal-cruelty charges as a result of complaints last August that seven polar bears -- three of them from Churchill -- had been left in sweltering 45 C heat without access to water and air-conditioning. Carla Cappalli, president of the Puerto Rico Federation for the Protection of Animals, said the evidence against Suarez was overwhelming, adding it included videotaped footage of the bears on the day in question and testimony from an expert on polar bears, Dr. Ann Duncan, chief veterinarian of the Detroit Zoo. Duncan had testified that the videotaped evidence showed the bears were extremely overheated last August and in poor condition overall. Cappalli said Suarez's defence rested on the testimony of two veterinarians who admitted they knew little about polar bears but were confident the animals were fine.
Thanks to: The Animal Spirit.com

Charges Brought for CIRCUS POLAR BEARS Mistreatment
by Jamie Sutterlin and David Milner
The Humane Society of Puerto Rico and the Department of Natural Resources of Ponce have filed animal cruelty charges against the SUAREZ Brothers Circus for keeping seven polar bears in filthy cages and failing to provide air conditioning or even a pool for the animals.
"These poor things are suffering horribly," said Howard White, a spokesperson for The Humane Society of the United States. "They've lost something like 30 or 40 percent of their body mass, and they have mange."
The United States Marine Mammal Commission (USMMC), as well as 16 United States Senators and 55 members of the House of Representatives, also have condemned the treatment of the bears.
Polar bears can overheat at a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit, yet the SUAREZ Brothers Circus has exposed its seven to temperatures as high as 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
The USMMC has requested that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, both of which have responsibility for ensuring the well-being of animals, substantiate the claims against the circus in preparation for a trial that is scheduled to begin on January 22, 2002.
"We feel that there is ample cause to confiscate the bears," said World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) International Projects Director John Walsh. "WSPA is currently in the process of hiring an independent polar bear expert to inspect the bears and provide the findings to the USDA."
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has already found several zoos willing to take the animals.
© 2001 Animal News Center, Inc.

P.S.If you don't go to the circus, animals will not be trapped and bought for circuses, and then whipped, beaten, burnt and clubbed in order to perform tricks for your amusement.

USDA Sued Over Elephant Abuse Documents
By Cat Lazaroff   SOURCE: lycos.com
WASHINGTON, DC, December 21, 2001 (ENS)
Three animal protection groups have filed suit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeking information about how much the agency knew, and when, regarding the mistreatment of elephants at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Animal Welfare Institute, and The Fund For Animals filed a lawsuit on Thursday under the Freedom of Information Act, to obtain documents concerning the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) knowledge of elephant abuse by the multimillion dollar Ringling Bros. circus. Over the last five years, the USDA has started several investigations of Ringling Bros. under the Animal Welfare Act, the law protecting animals in the circus. In almost every instance, investigations were closed or settled without the agency pursuing any federal charges or disclosing the underlying evidence to the public. The investigations were triggered by reports from former Ringling Bros. employees who testified that animals were chained up to 24 hours a day and beaten with bullhooks to train and control them. In one instance, an investigation was triggered when USDA inspectors saw baby elephants with large bloody lesions at a Ringling Bros.' elephant breeding facility in Florida. In May of this year, attorneys for the animal welfare groups made a formal request for the documents, but they were denied access to the USDA's evidence. The groups say they already have several recent videotapes of Ringling Bros.' employees poking and hitting elephants with bullhooks and other instruments. "Under the law, the USDA must let the public know what evidence it is sitting on from closed investigations conducted in the last four years concerning Ringling Brothers' treatment of endangered Asian elephants," said Katherine Meyer, attorney for the plaintiffs. "Although the USDA has conducted more than a dozen investigations of charges that Ringling Brothers' abused their elephants, the USDA has refused to release the documentation collected during their investigations," said Lisa Weisberg, ASPCA senior vice president of government affairs and public policy. "While the inhumane treatment of elephants has often been documented in circuses and zoos around the world, such treatment has rarely been scrutinized in a court of law," said Richard Farinato, the Humane Society's director for captive wildlife protection. "We believe it is time for consumers to stop patronizing circuses that harm elephants in pursuit of profit." said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS senior vice president. The HSUS says that elephants used by circuses are almost constantly on the road, traveling to more than 100 cities a year. They are crammed in railroad cars, and they are afforded very few opportunities to exercise or graze. They are often on chains that do not allow a full stride for more than 20 hours a day, HSUS says. "It is not a question of resources or expertise with animals, or of the reputation of a circus or its trainers. In order to handle elephants in a circus environment, dominance and discipline must be established and maintained by a trainer," said Farinato. "Such dominance and discipline depends on the act or threat of physical abuse and making sure the elephant knows that very well."

"But for the use of physical punishment by, and fear of their oppressors, animals would never be a part of a circus." Richard Pryor