Protests Against Circus Cruelty

Photos: Toronto Protest Against the Garden Brothers Circus – March 2004
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/cir1.jpg
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/cir2.jpg
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/cir3.jpg

For Circus Cruelty see http://www.circuses.com/
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Hamilton - CAGED Pickets the Wonderful World of Animals – Aug.12.2001

* Editor's note – The author criticizes http://news4hamilton.com/  and their coverage of the circus protest, but he seems unaware that the news4 article is standard corporate media journalism. They use a formula to provide fair coverage that gives a voice to both sides on an issue. Generally it works to give a big voice to corporate or powerful interests and a small meow to the forces of animal justice.

   Fairness can't be created through a formula and attempts at it kill genuine insight and in-depth coverage. Human journalists in their present evolutionary state could do a bit better, but not much better. That's why this page is edited by a cat.
PJ the Cat
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The Big Lie Under the Big Top
Report by Gary Morton for PJ the Cat's Animal Rights Page:

   Is the Wonderful World of Animals really all that wonderful? Well, let's begin with some Photos and Signs:

   Shari says - Teach Your Children a Lesson in Kindness. Don't take them to the Circus,
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/hcircus1.jpg
because Elaine knows that – These Animals are Dying for you to Visit.
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/hcircus2.jpg

Don't Support Cruelty
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/hcircus3.jpg
or Dan will ask you to Explain the Whips and Chains to your Kids
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/hcircus4.jpg
while a mysterious woman in dark glasses tips you to the fact that Animals Hate the Circus.
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/hcircus5.jpg

Yes - Don't be accused of Enjoying the Abuse
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/hcircus6.jpg
inflicted upon Performing Prisoners
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/hcircus7.jpg
as part of an Education in Cruelty.
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/hcircus8.jpg
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   We arrived at the Mountain Arena to find the protest underway, and had barely said hello when news4hamilton.com/ arrived. Later I checked their coverage on the Internet and in the public interest I include their text report at the bottom of this post.

   Though the News4 written report paints a kindly picture of animal trainers, their video report mentions that they weren't allowed into the circus with a camera.

   A couple of the younger women from Caged did get in with a camera and eventually got kicked out. They noted that some animals were held on chains that were far too short, and perhaps they would have discovered more had they been in there longer.

   I feel that way because animal circuses are not drawing huge crowds and animal rights protesters are reducing the crowds even more. On such a low budget, trainers could not possibly have the money to properly care for the animals. Most profits would in fact come from squeezing money out of their care costs.

   The Garden Brothers, owners of Wonderful World of Animals, have been hostile to protesters recently. At an initial protest in Welland they sent a belligerent drunk out to harass two young female protesters. It really does give the impression that they have something to hide.

   Picketers did much better at the Mountain Arena. Elaine handed out free videos that detail the animal rights side of the story and they were gone quickly. We also managed to flyer many of the cars going in and out and got into the parking lot to ticket all of the vehicles with more leaflets.

   The leafleting worked so well one little boy emerged shouting, "They only killed four animals today!" A woman exiting said she understood how the training was cruel after watching the dancing bears perform while reading our flyer.

   It appears that public attitudes can be changed if enough dedicated people make an effort. Animal circuses can probably be put out of business completely if actions continue against them.

   In Hamilton I didn't encounter many of the hostile sorts of people that feel animal rights activists are nuts. Instead I got that argument back in Toronto at a poverty protest event. Some of the guys at it came forward with the argument that animal activists are not progressive like they are … so I replied that animal rights groups from Toronto up to Niagara have a majority of women members while many of the usual Toronto activist groups have a surplus of shouting, fist-waving men … that do very little other than that.

   Some males even try to humiliate other men over their involvement in animal rights stuff. Dan - in the photo listed above - had to endure a verbal assault from circus goons that called him a sissy and fairy and so on as they attacked his masculinity.

   People that think animal activists aren't progressive should take a close look at some of the creepy people that run circuses and marine worlds. Circus trainers think it's progressive to beat, shock, stab and tie animals for trick training. They have no problem making animals travel in rail cars that can be smoggy, freezing or boiling hot … and they don't care when chained animals are forced to stand in their own excrement or beat their heads against their cages.
Gary Morton
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Here is a copy of the text from the Hamilton news. They also have video coverage at the site.
http://news4hamilton.com/
email info@news4hamilton.com
Circus Under Attack - 6:00 p.m. August 12, 2001.
By Leah Borkwood
   Kids lined up to see the lions, tigers and bears while the circus was in town. But CAGED picketers lined the streets in protest of the exploitation of circus animals.
   "We're protesting the cruel life of these animals," says action co-ordinator Elaine Marion.
   "These animals have been defeated by brutal training and are left in small cages that aren't suitable for their size or take into consideration the pack behaviour they have."
   But workers from the Wonderful World of Animals say animals at this circus are treated extraordinary well. One of the bear trainers, Derrick Rosire has worked with animals all his life and treats them like his personal pets. He says an animal the size of his bear would not be so friendly if it had been mistreated.
   "These animals are part of our lives not just a hobby," says Rosire. "I've spent thousands of hours with them."
   Part of the agreement with the city was for the SPCA to check in on the animals daily and it appears that everything is fine. In these types of situations the SPCA looks at living conditions and the availability of food, water and shade.
   "The conditions were fine," says animal control officer Joseph Lamantia. "All had fresh water and shade with feeding schedules and regular cleaning of the cages."
   The "Wonderful World of Animals" spent four days in Hamilton at the Mountain Arena on Hester Street and moves on Sunday to the next city.
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Contact CAGED animal rights group
info 905 526 8188
Email "E.M. Marion" <macinnem@muss.cis.mcmaster.ca>
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Email the Wonderful World of Animals (Garden Brothers)
Richard W. Garden
rgarden@gardenbrothers.com
Ian M. Garden Jr.
igarden@gardenbrothers.com
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Shrine Circus Picketed - Sun.July.8.2001
(Shiners' Circus funds Privatized Health Care in the USA)

Animal Slave Trade
   Today in Etobicoke, Freedom for Animals protested the Shrine Circus and their cruel use of animals as entertainment. The Shrine Circus is running shows across Canada, and like other circuses they don't inform the public of the dismal life of domination, confinement and violent training their animals endure. Basic needs to roam, exercise and forage are taken from them and cruelty is well documented on web sites like http://www.zoocheck.com/ and http://www.circuses.com/

Photos:
Make a compassionate choice. Say no to the circus.
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/circus1.jpg
   Of course the Shriners disagreed with our picket message, and when they weren't drowning out our megaphone spokesperson with music and barking or calling in the police, they shouted to the crowd that proceeds would go to a Shiners Hospital in the USA.
   So Canadians attending are supporting poor quality privatized health care in the USA.

An Elephant Speaks
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/circus2.jpg
   We had to know if the Shriners were telling the truth so Dave jumped a back fence and went in to talk to the elephants. The big fellow in the photo says that Shriners are not very honest. They are really a bunch of drinkers and put the money into a general fund that also supports their yearly convention antics. They also aren't nice to elephants as the animals spend most of their time cooped up in transport and breathing heavy doses of smog in endless parking lots. Then of course the hooks are used on them to force them to do tricks.

Circus Animals Dying to Entertain You
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/circus3.jpg
   And it is true that animals die. Our elephant friend says that in 1994 an elephant named Tyke freaked out and was shot after trying to escape from the Shrine Circus. Tyke broke loose and got several blocks before being shot.
   These animals are stressed, but in spite of that the Shiners put baskets on their backs and use them for kiddie rides at the circus.

    Like the last picket sign photo says, circuses are no fun for animals. And they aren't educational either as they teach kids that animals are toys and not creatures to be respected and treated with proper care.

More photos:
Big Top and a couple Elephants
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/circus4.jpg
Working the lineup with signs and flyers
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/circus5.jpg
Signs for the people and cars
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/circus6.jpg
http://frightlibrary.org/pic/circus7.jpg
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Cruel City Circus
(Toronto – Freedom for Animals Protests the Garden Brothers Circus and Animal Cruelty – March.24.2001)

   It's Toronto, early Spring and Saturday at SkyDome. The Garden Brothers are in town and they want you to bring your kids, plunk down the cash and Step Right up to the Cruel City Circus.

Cruelty – What Cruelty?

   Of course the Garden Brothers would have you believe that they rescue animals and that circuses are places that are fun and sweet. What they don't tell you is that they are really prisons where trainers use whips, guns, hooks, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods and stupefying drugs to force animals to perform for audiences of laughing humans.

   Circus elephants are hit, beaten, shocked, chained and whipped. They travel in cramped trucks and like the other animals must perform when sick. Bull hooks are jabbed into the sensitive skin on their faces, toes and behind their knees if they don't obey.

   Prison conditions are not suited to animals and especially not to elephants as they are social animals that can weep. Captives often have tears running down their faces, and right from the beginning baby elephants are tied down, beaten and starved for a month to break their spirit for the circus.

Freedom Circus

   A wicked wind blew down from the tall buildings as we assembled by the walkway into SkyDome and the Circus. It chilled us, and like the horrors of the circus – stung like whips, jabbed, knocked off hats, popped balloons and sent signs tumbling.

   But this was the Freedom Circus to protest Garden Brothers, and the will of the protesters prevailed.

   Before long parents and kids were streaming into the Circus and we were performing out front. In the cold we found it warmer to march in a circle with signs, so we did that while Sherry, our juggler performed in the centre.

   Off to the side our ringmaster, Suzanne held a bamboo whip and used a red sound amplification horn to inform the passing people of the cruel nature of the circus. Scott did large sidewalk chalk art on the walkway and it said - This Way To Torture and Cruel Circus – Animals Have No Choice but You Do.

   Jen was on the walkway holding a sign that said Wild Animals Belong in the Wild. Nadia's said The Slave Trade is Alive and Kicking and others had large pictures of animals in chains and cages. Jacqueline and John had a double-sized one of a weakened elephant in chains. Others like Dave, Jean and Susan did the flyer handouts.

   To the east of us another group watched. These were people with cameras and notebooks. They said they were a group studying the nature of protesters. So it was rather amusing to have people gawking at us like we were animals of a sort. Except we were there in the biting wind because we wanted to be there and not because we were tortured. And we did stick it out. Freedom Circus lasted for a couple hours and had a solid effect on the circus customers.

So Who are these Weird Protesters?

   Yes – who are these folks under study? What do they believe and why are they protesting at the circus when they could be shopping?

   Freedom for Animals people are scattered across the age spectrum. Some are quite young, yet others are middle-aged to elderly. In today's crowd there were the Toronto people including women from Kensington Cat Rescue, folks from Niagara Action for Animals, Mississauga and Markam.

   They believe in understanding the true nature of animals and in being kind. That's to animals and humans.

   The media never tells you this but most animals rights people are vegetarian/vegan. They aren't meat eaters and don't wear fur. Very few of them are single issue protesters and nearly all are well informed on other issues relating to politics and health. Their health is better than that of the mainstream crowd, and some work in health-related occupations - a couple people at today's protest were from Noah's Health Food Stores.

So is there a Happy Ending to all of this?

   I'm afraid not and that means the protests must continue, and if you want the circus banned in Toronto you have to phone your city councillor and the mayor and demand it.

Unhappy Ending – Tonight the Garden Brothers are counting the cash and in the city sky-scrapers the cold wind is howling like a demon. Voices of the cruel circus and cruel city echo in the gusts, and down below in the dark the restless animals are in their cages. They are tired, sore and frightened. Soon they'll be on the road and if they are dreaming it is of warp-faced humans that laugh and stare like monsters. They don't know that some of us can be kind. Their masters will not let them attend the Freedom Circus.

Upcoming Events:

Freedom for Animals - Sun. April 1
Kensington Market Stray Cat Rescue one year anniversary!
Funraiser.  2 - 5 p.m. at the 519 Church Street Community Centre.
A wish from the felines: a cat tree -accepting donations.
Vegan potluck -cold buffet. Video showings.
For more info: 416-596-2331.

Protest at McDonalds - April 18.2001
Noon to 2 pm
Protesting animal slaughter, oppressive labour policies and junk food.
For more info: 416-596-2331.

Contact Freedom for Animals
email - free_animails@hotmail.com
web - http://ffa.engine.ca/
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