As We Approach Circus Season…

I wrote a letter on Monday to a parenting website called Moms Like Me with groups all over the country. Their Louisville group is offering several sets of free circus tickets to families who leave a comment on their blog about their favorite part of the circus. Circuses with animals are not family-friendly activities.

Circuses.com publishes three great reasons to never take your children to a circus.

I encourage every one of you to take a stand against the use of animals in circuses. I challenge you to educate mothers about why they should never take their children to circuses which include animals. Many people may not know or may never have stopped to think about the cruelty of the circus. In fact, most people do not automatically make the connection between animal cruelty and human cruelty.

Here are three easy ways you can make your voice heard:

1. Help spread the message to moms that the circus is not a good choice for a family outing. You can sign here to help parenting website Mom Central realize that they should end their marketing partnership with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. It just doesn’t make sense to link the raising of our children with the torture of animals.

2. Talk to your school boards to discourage circus promotion in schools. There is already enough violence in our schools and neighborhoods. Let’s make sure our schools are not doing themselves and their students a disservice by promoting animal cruelty.

3. Anyone anywhere in the world can take one minute to read and sign PETA’s online petition to take animals out of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus. There is also a petition to encourage the USDA to seize the 11 elephants used by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus based on the videos taken by PETA during its 2009 undercover investigation.

We need not be combative or aggressive in our mission to educate people about animal cruelty. The truth speaks for itself.

The Captive Animals Protection Society offers a step-by-step guide on everything you need to plan a circus protest.

As my friend Kaye says, speak your mind even if your voice shakes.

Hello, Moms Like Me!

I noticed that you are supporting the Kosair Shrine Circus by holding a ticket contest, and I wanted to share my opinions with you because I believe that it is important for groups such as Moms Like Me to educate their readers and take a stand on issues around how we raise our children.

It is more important than ever that we raise good global citizens, and it is our job to enable our children to recognize human and animal cruelty in all forms. If we take them to the circus to witness animals who are outside their natural environment performing unnatural “tricks” for human amusement, what are we really teaching our children? Are we de-sensitizing them to animal cruelty and teaching them that they should enjoy watching wildlife behave in unnatural ways?

Circus animals travel every day of the year in conditions that usually are not good, and they are often deprived of the companionship of other animals of their species. Nothing about the circus is natural or amusing. Think about it. Animals are afraid of fire just like we are. How much beating down of an animal’s spirit and physical body do you think it takes to get her to jump through a ring of fire?

It is not just so-called “radical” groups like PETA who recognize and condemn the cruelty that occurs in the circus industry. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals speaks up against the circus industry and suggests boycotting the circus. The ASPCA officials attend animal circuses in New York to inspect conditions and educate the public about the cruelty. Even the Humane Society of the United States opposes the use of wild animals in circuses. A simple Google search will produce plenty of information from unbiased sources like these.

How embarrassing not only that we allow this circus to happen in our backyards but also that we actually attend it.

Please note that the Shrine Circus is not a charitable event. Many people seem to believe that the money goes to help Shriners Hospitals and the burn victims they treat. This is not the case. The money goes to the Shrine Fraternity. The work done at Shriners Hospitals around the country is nothing short of extraordinary; people who want to support this work should absolutely make donations directly to the hospitals. I do exactly that.

I think you could write a brilliant piece with circus alternatives for moms and kids. Why not take your children directly to a Shriners Hospital and talk about burn dangers and good samaritans who work together to heal children who have suffered burns? Why not spend some time at home teaching your child about training the family pet and discussing the differences between domesticated and wild animals?

Why not read a children’s book such as _Saving Lilly_ by Peg Kehret or _The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours_ by Jane Goodall so that you can discuss the importance of wonderful, wild creatures remaining in their natural habitats and continuing their natural behaviors? Most of us can not afford to take our children on a safari, but why not take your child out in nature to observe and learn to appreciate wild birds, squirrels, and perhaps even deer?

Elephants, tigers, lions, bears, monkeys, and other “circus” animals were not put on this Earth for our amusement.

You could even include a link to the ASPCA’s list of circuses which do not include animals. I would be willing to bet that the eyes of every child in the audience at a cruelty-free circus still light up in amazement.

Maybe you could even post the very informative brochure “The Truth Behind the Big Top“ from the Humane Society of the United States .

The bottom line? You would be doing a great service to moms in the Greater Louisville community if you wrote a piece on the truth behind circuses and encouraged them to patronize only circuses which do not include animals. There are many, many alternatives.

We live in a day and age where money is very tight, and we also live during unprecedented times in which our purchasing dollars have the ability to effect great change. My purchasing dollars will never go toward a ticket for a circus that includes animals. I, like many other women around the country, am committed to creating a positive, sustainable, and wonderful community by carefully considering my purchases and my actions.

Step up and meet your reading public. We do not support animal cruelty.

Most people go to the circus because they love to see the animals. What most of them do not know is that they are supporting an industry with a long history of animal cruelty. An article on Moms Like Me about the cruelty of the circus industry would be a great service to your readers.

Thank you.

Kind regards,
Julia

Are you in or around Louisville, Kentucky?

The Shrine Circus is coming to town Thursday February 4th thru Sunday February 7th.  Animal Lovers of Louisville (ALL) is planning a peaceful demonstration for the 2:00pm show on Saturday, February 6th, 2010. The demonstration will be held at the Main Gate at the Fair and Expo Center on Philips Lane. We need to assemble at 1:00 pm at the Main Gate. We will be there less than one hour.

The organizer will have all the signs and pamphlets we will need. Just bring yourself and a friend. Even if you have never attended a peaceful protest, please come and help educate others on this very important issue. We are making a difference!

Look for the orange cones, and we will be there. No permit is needed for this part of the demonstration because we will be on a city-owned street. Parking is always a problem. However, we can park in the Transportation Cabinets’ parking lot which is across the street (Philips Lane side) from the old Executive Inn or in the Bowling Alley parking lot.

Are you far from Louisvillle but still want to help?

Please take a few minutes and call these people to let them know what you think of animal circuses.

The Shriners hire George Cardin who is one of the worst in the business. He has multiple USDA fines for cruelty to animals. The Shrine Headquarters in Louisville can be reached at 502-587-0406 and 502-585-5863.

Kosair Charities (who support the Shriners circus) can be reached at 502-637-7696. Let them know you will not be donating any money to them and that you recommend they associate their children’s health charity with a more suitable event than the circus.

Have you ever protested a circus or any other acts of animal cruelty in your area? Have any tips or resources to share with us? Please leave your comments!