Stop Ringling Bros. sponsorship across the country!

Wes Westley
SMG World
701 Market Street
4th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Mr. Westley:

We, the undersigned, are writing due to our concern over your continual sponsorship of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus through performances at many of the facilities operated by SMG World, including the CenturyTel Center Arena in Bossier City, Louisiana, the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California, the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Baton Rouge River Center Arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina, and the Reliant Arena in Houston, Texas.  Such involvement reflects negatively on your company, and shows that you are willing to ignore moral obligations in order to make a profit.

Circuses which use animals are not high-quality entertainment, such as the other wonderful shows or concerts put on by your company; they are freak shows, displaying our domination over creatures which have no voice to speak for themselves.  These animals have no quality of life, and must sustain abuse as they are trucked across the nation in substandard crates to entertain the masses.  They did not choose a life in show business.   

Ringling has continually failed to meet even the minimal requirements set forth for animals used for exhibition under the Animal Welfare Act.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has charged them with failure to possess veterinary records, provide animals with sufficient space and exercise, and maintain enclosures which are safe for the animals.  At least 24 elephants have died under their care since 1992, and the majority of their elephants were caught in the wild, threatening already-endangered elephant populations.  These shows are not just dangerous for the animals; since 1990, at least 57 people have been killed and more than 120 seriously injured by captive elephants.

Ringling has also been noted to use extremely cruel methods to train their animals, such as the use of electric prods.  Bullhooks, steel rods with sharp hooks used to sink into the animals’ flesh, are often wielded like baseball bats on elephants.  Ringling has forced extremely young or sick animals to perform using these methods.  Elephants often become crippled and debilitated from being continuously chained or performing physically-demanding tricks.

The majority of transport cages have barely enough room for the animals to turn around or lie down.  Several animals belonging to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, including several lions and tigers and a wild-caught sea lion, have died due to heatstroke and dehydration during transit when the vents in their cages malfunctioned.  Workers failed to check on them for hours and did not provide enough water.  Elephants are chained whenever they are not performing, which leads to intense boredom, anxiety, and health complications.  While we can leave after the show, these tiny enclosures are the extent of the animals’ universe.

Exposure to animal circuses can have a negative impact on visitors, leading them to believe that this type of exploitation is acceptable.  Children are especially susceptible to such influences and may grow up with “aberrant social values”, a theory supported by Dr. Melvin E. Levine, professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina.  Families should come away from entertainment inspired and delighted, and such emotions can never be pure if the show derives from the abuse of others.  Circuses also do not exhibit behaviors which are natural for the animals, and can lead to a distorted view of wildlife. 

We suggest booking animal-free acts instead of the Ringling circus, such as the award-winning Cirque du Soleil.  Such productions are excellent examples of how quality entertainment and showmanship can be displayed without abusing animals.  We will enclose a list of animal-free circuses for your convenience.

If you would like additional information about circuses, there are numerous resources available.  You can contact the author of this petition, or a number of organizations, for assistance.

Should you choose not to cancel all future traveling animal acts at your facilities, we agree not to attend any performances sponsored by SMG. 

SMG is a very powerful and prominent company, and by taking a stance against animal exploitation, you serve as a model for the entire entertainment industry.

Thank you for your time, and please consider what is best for these animals.

Sincerely,