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ANV and Ringling Square Off
By Sarah Roberts

July 2003, Los Angeles Area

The Animal News Van attended a series of educational outreaches at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey circus that toured the Los Angeles Area in July. Approximately 4,500 flyers, which explained the cruelty that circus animals endure, were handed to circus attendees, along with a listing of circuses that offer fun family entertainment without the use of animals 
(circus information summarized at: http://www.lcanimal.org/cmpgn/cmpgn_001.htm ).

The Animal News Van was fully programmed to present undercover video footage of elephant beatings, and factoids about Ringling’s animal abuse to attendees. But because of the semi-private nature of the arenas in which circuses are held, Ringling was able to push the van into the back parking lots, using the police and Arena security as their goon squads. However, the message of animal compassion was unable to be stopped. Even in the parking lot, the Animal News Van did its job, displaying bright red digital facts about the circus. One woman, who was bringing her family to the Anaheim circus, stopped by to speak with the animal advocates who were passing out flyers at the box office. She said, “I saw your van in the parking lot, and when I read about all of the animal welfare violations Ringling has, I just got the chills. I decided that we were not going to the circus today, or ever again.”

Activists unfurled large banners and showed signs depicting animal abuse as other people passed out information to people standing in line waiting for tickets. But the most popular attraction was when LCA staff started handing out large helium balloons to excited children which read “Circus: Animal Free, The Way to Be”. Ringling employees took the balloons away from the children at the door, in a move which was very unpopular with the kids. All of the animal advocates were polite to the circus goers, knowing that people are simply unaware of the abuse that happens to wild animals at circuses. Because of this effective, sad and silent outreach, animal advocates were approached by many circus attendees who had read the LCA flyers, and were told that this “would be their last [circus].” One couple in Long Beach hurried up to animal advocates and said in panicked tones that they had seen blood on an elephant’s leg during the open house showing of the chained animals – and that they had subsequently sold back their tickets.

In Los Angeles, activist Cliff Kaminsky slipped out his camcorder and was able to film elephants directly after they were re-chained. Witnesses noted that not even a few seconds went by before the elephants started to bob and sway out of the boredom and stress of being confined constantly to the same tightly bound position. 
(Cliff’s videos are viewable at: http://www.laacoustics.com/video/ElephantSwaying.mpg  
and http://www.laacoustics.com/video/HoldingPen.mpg ).

At Long Beach City Hall, representatives of California Lobby for Animal Welfare, Dr. Alison E. Stanley, PH.D and Priscilla Gargalis, along with Tom Rider, former Ringling employee, asked the Council to ban wild animal use in entertainment acts in Long Beach. Gargalis pointed out that Huntington Beach, Pasadena and five other cities in California, as well as other cities all across the US, have banned such use of animals for entertainment purposes. 
(Full article at: http://www.lbreport.com/news/jul03/circus.htm ).

Last Chance for Animals will be featured in Late August on KBIG and KOST radio stations, to speak about animals in entertainment, specifically in rodeos and circuses, which will air on KOST 103.5 on August 24th (6am) and on KBIG 104.3 on August 31st (6am). Tune in to find out more, or contact Last Chance for animals, at www.LCAnimal.org .

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