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An upcoming TV series, "Greatest Show on Earth", promises a "behind-the-scenes" look at the legendary Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. But the real story is that Circus staff regularly abuse and torment performing elephants with bull hooks, chains and other devices.
The abuse of Ringling Bros. circus elephants -- well documented by animal welfare organizations, state humane agencies, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors -- violates both the federal Endangered Species Act and the Animal Welfare Act, which prohibit the abuse of endangered animals used in entertainment.
Many have witnessed routine violent abuse and cruelty toward the elephants, including frequently hitting the elephants with bull hooks, rubbing dirt into sores of elephants to conceal their wounds, and routinely chaining the elephants on concrete or in cramped rail cars for many hours of every day and night.
This kind of cruelty is not entertainment -- contact TNT and urge them to cancel the "Greatest Show on Earth" series.
