Each year, the
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation issues permits to circuses allowing them
to perform at taxpayer-supported city parks. Even circuses with a deplorable history
of animal abuse and elephant rampages such as Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus, return year
after year. Beatty-Cole has been charged by federal and local animal welfare agencies with
abusing its elephants. And in five separate incidents, Beatty-Cole elephants have
killed two spectators, injured more than a dozen others, and rampaged during performances,
which caused tens of thousands of dollars in property damage. One tragedy occurred
in Queens in July 1995 and caused injury to 12 spectators.
Animals used in circuses lead miserable lives fraught with
boredom, punishment, and deprivation. They are subjected to violent training with
whips, bullhooks, and electrical shock. Tigers, bears, and primates spend much of
their time in cramped, often filthy cages. Elephants are torn from their families in
the wild, beaten, and chained barely able to take more than a step or two in any
direction. Forcing animals to perform unnatural, difficult tricks demeans them and
reveals nothing about their true nature. Using dangerous animals in public
performances also poses very real safety risks.
Please send a polite e-mail or letter asking the Parks and
Recreation commissioner to stop granting permits to outdated circuses that continue to
feature animal acts. Ask that New York City parks feature only contemporary,
animal-free circuses.
E-mail Commissioner Stern by clicking here
and filling out NYC Park's Dept E-mail form
Print out
a letter to mail to Commissioner Stern.
E-mail this page to friends who will help.
For more detailed information on this campaign contact
PETA Online
For more detailed information on the plight of performing animals,
contact
Envirolink.org
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