If circus animal supplier Hawthorn Corporation’s long list of 60 violations of the Animal Welfare Act–including feeding animals moldy food, denying veterinary care for the sick, and housing incompatible tigers in small cages, to name a few–is not enough to shut down its doors, perhaps the newest violation of illegal exhibition will do the trick. Recently, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has uncovered that convicted animal abuser Lancelot Kollman has been working with Hawthorn to illegally exhibit tigers at a Shrine circus in Fort Worth Texas. Mr. Kollman was not able to exhibit tigers at all after his license was revoked by the USDA, but the Hawthorn Corporation decided to hire him regardless of his animal abuse history and allow the abuser to exhibit the animals.
http://forcechange.com/41654/revoke-circus-animal-handlers-license-after-illegal-tiger-exhibition/
The Hawthorn Corporation and Mr. Kollman were breaking animal welfare laws together and participating in unlawful practices. It is no surprise the USDA would take Mr. Kollman’s (aka Lance Ramos) license away since he resorted to physical abuse to “train” animals to the point where two young lions almost died and an elephant starved to death. These are the kind of people that are running circuses and creating horrible conditions for innocent animals to live in. According to PETA’s website, in a span of just 9 years, 32 tigers owned by the Hawthorn Corporation died. It is unacceptable that these corporations and notorious animal abusers continue to work with animals in this cruel way.
In order to shut down companies that participate in unlawful and inhumane animal handling practices, the USDA must once and for all press criminal charges on Mr. Lancelot Knollman and revoke Hawthorne Corporation’s license.
Dear United States Department of Agriculture,
The time has come to once and for all revoke Hawthorn Corporation’s license and press criminal charges against Lancelot Kollman after recent reports of continued animal abuse. After Mr. Kollman’s license was revoked by the department in 2009 and forbidden to work with animals, he continued to exhibit animals with the Hawthorn Corporation. Once a person’s license is revoked he or she can never again exhibit animals and clearly Mr. Kollman broke the law if he worked with Hawthorn at the Shrine circus in Texas as reported by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
It is important that people and corporations who abuse animals and disobey the law are punished accordingly for their actions. This kind of behavior from Mr. Kollman and the Hawthorn Corporation comes as no surprise based on both their history of violating the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Please make sure that all necessary measures are being taken to uphold the AWA for the suffering animals and that laws will not be broken.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
