Many people have asked why we no longer promote the Barnum and Bailey's Circus. Here is the reason.
I'd like to invite you to please...
#1 read this entire post, #2 watch the video, #3 pass it on to all of your friends and family, #4 Give
me your feedback, and #5 Never again go to a Ringling Brothers Circus, or any other for that matter that features wild animals.
I'm not promoting PETA here, this just happens to be their video. In 2009 I was reviewing a Barnum and Bailey Circus show as I had done for 6 straight years prior. This time however, I was invited to attend a media walk through of the animals cages prior to a show at the Oracle Arena. I began the walk-through filled with excitement and anticipation but left angry and sad. What i saw was atrocious, and made me decide never again to promote any wild animal circuses in Golden Bay Magazine ever again!
First off, I saw tigers together in their play cages. The cages were about half the size of your average suburban backyard. However, tigers in the wild walk about 25 miles per day. They're not in that play cage all day, they also spend time bundled up in smaller private cages. Then, they travel in caged train cars through out the country. Is that a life one of these animals deserves? But the worse was still to come.
I saw the elephants. I love elephants. They are amazing creatures. But as I looked closely, I noticed a lot of them had scratches on their skin, dried blood, and scars. One in particular had a small open wound that appeared to be bleeding. I pointed it out to one of the writers next to me, and he said, "ya, bullhooks!" "What's a bullhook?", I asked. "It's what they use to keep the elephants in line", was the response. In research that evening, i found out that a bullhook is a stick with a sharp metal curved spike that the handlers hit and stab the elephants with all over their bodies. Sometimes they even insert them like a meathook in their neck or behind their legs to lead them because they are either not in line, or walking too slow.
People, these animals endure pain and punishment beyond belief for your entertainment. If you don't believe me, and this video doesn't convince you (which i have no idea how it would not). Do your own research. Read how a baby elephant in Barnum's training facility was so scared of the bullhook, he backed into a watering hole and drowned. In fact, you don't have to read about it, it's on video. As far as Tigers, you can also read how a few years ago, a few of them died as their train was passing through the desert making their car's temperatures rise past 120 degrees.
So please, if you have a heart, I urge you to boycott these circuses. Not all are bad however, there are plenty of circuses which do not feature wild animals. One being Circus Vargas which i have reviewed and will post tomorrow, and I will make it a point to promote all the other non-wild animal circuses which come through the area.
Help spread the word. Pass this video around. We might not be able to save the animals that are currently in these shows, but we might make enough noise for the government to tighten the leashes on these circuses and save other helpless animals from further punishment for your entertainment.
Thank you.
Mauricio Segura
Golden Bay Magazine