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Last updated on Friday, December 5, 2014
(INDIANAPOLIS) - Accusations of animal abuse have raised the ire of the people putting on “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
WTHR reports that Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus is responding to accusations of abuse by animal advocates calling those accusations, "completely false."
Indiana Animal Rights Alliance plan a protest ahead of Thursday's opening night performance of the circus at Banker's Life Fieldhouse. According to their Facebook page, they anticipate 600 protestors, billing it the "largest circus protest in the nation."
IARA cites the use of bull bullhooks, whips, and prods on the animals, sharing "backstage" video provided by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
"They have a long history of abusing animals," said Joel Kerr, executive director of Indiana Animal Rights Alliance about Ringling. "The training techniques used on baby elephants is extremely severe."
According to Stephen Payne, a spokesman for Ringling Brothers, "these (accusations) are driven by animal rights groups that have no first-hand knowledge of the care we provide. These allegations are an insult to the men and women who dedicate their lives to caring for animals 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
Payne admits the trainers do use bullhooks, but "they are approved...tools for working with animals" by the American Veterinary Association and the Department of Agriculture.
Nevertheless, some cities like Los Angeles have banned the use of bullhooks because of the concern for animal welfare.
Animal advocates are hoping to convince Indianapolis officials to do the same.
Although the elephant act is only a small portion of the circus, (they are in the show only about 15 minutes), Payne explains they are the number one reason people come to see the Ringling Brothers circus. He adds, a portion of the ticket revenue goes to saving the Asian elephant as an endangered species.
On its website, Ringling Brothers describes its commitment to elephant conservation: 'In the interest of the species' present and future well-being, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation® was established in 1995. Located in central Florida, this 200-acre, $5-million, state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to the conservation, breeding and understanding of these amazing animals.'
The protest is expected to take place Thursday at Banker's Life Fieldhouse from 5:30-7p.
The protest, says Kerr, is not meant to 'shame' circus-goers, but to inform them.
But animal advocates are also pushing cities to ban circuses altogether.
According to Kerr, 60 countries, cities and municipalities have already done so. Los Angeles, for one, does not allow the use of bull hooks or other harsh devices in the training of animals.
IARA has approached the Indianapolis City County Council to do the same.
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