Judge Emmet J. Sullivan announced his decision in the federal lawsuit against
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus' parent company, Feld Entertainment. The lawsuit alleged that the circus's routine abuse of Asian elephants violates the Endangered Species Act. This ruling was not based on the lengthy record of indisputable cruelty to baby elephants, some of whom died during abusive training, or the cruelty to adult elephants who are beaten with bullhooks%u2014the equivalent of a fireplace poker%u2014time and time again. The judge's decision was based solely on the ruling that the animal protection organizations and the former circus trainer involved in the suit do not have legal standing to raise these issues. Evidence presented at trial and in PETA expos%uFFFDs makes it clear that bullhooks and chains cause elephants enormous pain and suffering.
Some of the internal documents presented during the trial highlighted that Ringling's own vet techs witnessed several abuses, including the following: - An elephant was dripping blood all over an arena floor after being hooked on the trunk and leg.
- A trainer was seen using an electric prod while elephants were unloaded.
- On four elephants, multiple bleeding lacerations caused by a bullhook were covered with a gray powder called Wonder Dust just before a show.
Inspections, medical records, and other documents revealed the following:
- Dozens of elephants with Ringling have been placed under tuberculosis-related quarantine.
- Elephants exhibited lameness, which was exacerbated by grueling performances, and a 2-year-old elephant suffered from foot abscesses and lameness.
- Elephants are chained in boxcars for an average of more than 26 hours straight and up to 100 hours straight.
- Water was withheld from elephants so that trainers could minimize urination, and the water that was provided was sometimes contaminated with soap or bleach.
On the heels of the judge's decision, we must urge the USDA to end the use of bullhooks and chains on elephants.
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Please Prohibit the Use of Bullhooks and Chains on Elephants
A federal court recently ruled that a circus trainer and animal protection groups did not have legal standing to challenge Ringling's abuse of elephants, but the USDA can ensure that elephants are treated humanely by immediately prohibiting the use of bullhooks and chains on elephants under the handling regulations of the Animal Welfare Act. The evidence produced at trial, including Ringling Bros.' own documents, as well as undercover video, and photographs from a retired Ringling trainer, highlight that bullhooks and chaining inflict a great deal of physical harm to elephants.
