APNewsBreak: Ringling Bros. Eliminating Elephant Acts
Source: ABC News-AP
By TAMARA LUSH
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will phase out the show's iconic elephants from its performances by 2018, telling The Associated Press exclusively that growing public concern about how the animals are treated led to the decision.
Executives from Feld Entertainment, Ringling's parent company, said the decision to end the circus's century-old tradition of showcasing elephants was difficult and debated at length. Elephants have often been featured on Ringling's posters over the decades. The decision is being announced Thursday.
"There's been somewhat of a mood shift among our consumers," said Alana Feld, the company's executive vice president. "A lot of people aren't comfortable with us touring with our elephants."
Feld owns 43 elephants, and 29 of the giant animals live at the company's 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation in central Florida. Thirteen animals will continue to tour with the circus before retiring to the center by 2018. One elephant is on a breeding loan to the Fort Worth Zoo.
Another reason for the decision, company President Kenneth Feld said, was that certain cities and counties have passed "anti-circus" and "anti-elephant" ordinances. The company's three shows visit 115 cities throughout the year, and Feld said it's expensive to fight legislation in each jurisdiction. It's also difficult to plan tours amid constantly changing regulations, he said.
FULL story at link.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/apnewsbreak-ringling-bros-eliminating-elephant-acts-29406205
Two years ago on our wedding anniversary I was downtown protesting the circus. I still have the sign. It's a photo of a baby elephant with it's legs tied up for training. This is great news.
Pictured: Harrowing ordeal of the baby elephants bound and beaten to become circus stars
By PAUL HARRIS FOR THE DAILY MAIL
UPDATED: 08:06 EST, 23 December 2009
Pulled to the ground by a web of ropes, a baby elephant learns the hard way how to become a circus performer.
In case the youngster doesn't want to co-operate, a trainer stands by with one of the sharp metal hooks used to manage the animals.
The disturbing picture is one of a series taken by a former trainer which campaigners say reveal the brutal reality of how elephants are prepared for circus work.
FULL story and more photos here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1237863/Pictured-Harrowing-ordeal-baby-elephants-bound-beaten-circus-stars.html
Ringling has history of mistreating animals: http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/opinion/readers/2015/03/04/ringling-history-mistreating-animals/24397731/
VALERIE MANN LETTER: The life of circus animals is directly in opposition to what they enjoy in the wild.
I seldom write letters to the editor, but feel compelled to let readers know about the suffering of animals in the "care" of Ringling Brothers. This is a timely topic since the circus will be in Salisbury today through Sunday. I urge the public not to attend.
In late 2011, Feld Entertainment, the parent company of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, was ordered to pay $270,000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for dozens of violations dating from June 2007 to Aug. 2, 2011. This was the largest civil penalty ever assessed against an exhibitor under the Animal Welfare Act.
The USDA has cited Ringling dozens of times for serious noncompliance including the following: improper handling of dangerous animals; failure to provide animals with veterinary care; causing physical harm to its animals; endangering tigers who were nearly baked alive in a boxcar because of poor maintenance of their enclosures; failure to test elephants for tuberculosis; and unsatisfactory feeding practices.
In December 2009, a retired Ringling trainer named Sam Haddock came forward to reveal violent training methods used on baby elephants at Ringling's Polk City Florida training center. The photos would literally make one sick.
FULL letter at link.
= new reply since forum marked as read
A win for elephants!
No matter the reason of their decision, at least they are FINALLY doing the right thing!
(Still not going to the circus until ALL animal acts have been ended).
You'll still have elephants in the circus, only a legitimate one. 
YES, YES, YES!!!
APNewsBreak: Ringling Bros. Eliminateding Elephant Acts
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