The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey (Ringling Bros.) circus ran into a legal brick wall in Rio Rancho recently when city officials rightly blocked it from performing at the Santa Ana Star Center, due to the circus’ hideous record that involves numerous documented violations of the Animal Welfare Act, resulting in a $270,000 fine paid recently to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
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Speak up for circus animals today!
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Now this infamous circus with a sordid history of animal cruelty and neglect has set its sights on performing at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque. While the city of Albuquerque’s HEART ordinance would certainly prohibit a Ringling Bros. performance because of such abuses, it happens that Tingley Coliseum is a state-owned venue located on state property within the Albuquerque city limits.
This circus has no business playing anywhere in New Mexico. It shouldn’t be able to find a “safe harbor” at Tingley Coliseum just because of a legal loophole.
In order to put a stop to the contemplated performances June 1-3, 2012 at Tingley Coliseum, your voice must be heard as soon as possible!
Two immediate steps to help:
1. Contact Governor Susana Martinez
Please contact the
Governor on her website or call the Governor's office at 505-476-2200.
Using these points as a guide, POLITELY let the Governor know you want her to prohibit Ringling Bros. circus from performing at Tingley Coliseum:
- The cruelty and neglect wild animals such as elephants, tigers, and zebras suffer at the hands of Ringling Bros. have been very well documented by the USDA
- Feld Entertainment, the owners of Ringling Bros. circus, last year had to pay the largest civil penalty ever assessed against an animal exhibitor under the federal Animal Welfare Act
- Feld Entertainment CEO Kenneth Feld has admitted under oath that his trainers routinely hit elephants with bullhooks, whip them, and use electric shock prods on them.
- This circus rightly has been banned from other New Mexico venues and should not be allowed to perform at Tingley Coliseum
- All residents of New Mexico deserve better forms of entertainment than this cruel and abusive circus.
- Thank the Governor for her service to New Mexico.
2. Contact Mr. Dan Mourning, General Manager of EXPO New Mexico, the state’s department that operates Tingley Coliseum.
Please call Mr. Mourning’s office at 505-222-9700 or email him at dan.mourning@state.nm.us.
Using these points as a guide, POLITELY ask that Ringling Bros. circus not be allowed to perform at Tingley Coliseum:
- The cruelty and neglect wild animals such as elephants, tigers, and zebras suffer at the hands of Ringling Bros. have been very well documented by the USDA
- Feld Entertainment, the owners of Ringling Bros. circus, last year had to pay the largest civil penalty ever assessed against an animal exhibitor under the federal Animal Welfare Act
- Feld Entertainment CEO Kenneth Feld has admitted under oath that his trainers routinely hit elephants with bullhooks, whip them, and use electric shock prods on them.
- This circus rightly has been banned from other New Mexico venues and should not be allowed to perform at Tingley Coliseum
- All residents of New Mexico deserve better forms of entertainment than this cruel and abusive circus.
- Thank Mr. Mourning for his service to New Mexico.
All the USDA inspection reports referred to above may be viewed on the following link, but please note in particular these three reports from just last year - June 10, August 25 and November 18, 2011:
aphis.usda.gov/foia/ringling_brothers
RELATED LINKS:
Contact the Governor
USDA Inspection Reports
Alec Baldwin: Boycott Circuses That Use Animals
[video]
Thank you for speaking up for circus animals!
