Ringling Bros. eliminating elephant acts

[pixy0stix]

Well, it's a start anyway.

www.9news.com/story/money/business/2015/03/05/ringling-brothers-elephants/24423553/

It's the end of an era for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus' fabled elephant acts.

Calling the decision "unprecedented,'' the circus' parent company, Feld Entertainment, announced Thursday that it will phase out the performances by 2018. Members of the public have voiced concerns about how elephants and other animals are treated in circus acts.

The 13 elephants that are now part of the Ringling Bros. shows will be sent to the circus' Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida by 2018, joining over 40 others.

In a statement, Kenneth Feld, Chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment said "this is the most significant change we have made since we founded the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation in 1995. When we did so, we knew we would play a critical role in saving the endangered Asian elephant for future generations, given how few Asian elephants are left in the wild . . .This decision was not easy, but it is in the best interest of our company, our elephants and our customers."

Other animals, however, will still be seen under the big top. The 145-year-old circus says that it will continue to showcase, horses, dogs, tigers and other animals in its performances.

Ingrid Newkirk,, president of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) said in a statement that Ringling Bros. bringing an end to its elephant acts is a long time coming.

"For 35 years PETA has protested Ringling Bros.' cruelty to elephants,'' she said. But she added that the 2018 deadline is too far off. "Three years is too long for a mother elephant separated from her calf . … too long for an animal who roams up to 30 miles a day in the wild to be kept in shackles. If the decision is serious, then the circus needs to do it now.''

[cohmom]

Its a good day for elephants. Hopefully the big cats will be next.

[darkling_glory]

I haven't been to a circus in a decade because of the animal acts and this makes me happy.

I hope all animal acts will be eliminated soon.

[msmerymac]

I'll be honest: I still will never give them any of my money. I'd be surprised if PETA is totes cool with them now, too.

[omgzombies]

It's progress. I'll take any forward step I can get.

[twotrue]

I still won't go to a show but this is a very good thing.

[Deleted]

There are seriously complaints about this on the comments section of the FB posts. That "the elephants are the best part!"

Um. WTF? No. No they are not the best part. Some people need to be treated like the circus treats those elephants. Then? THEN they can tell me that the elephants are the best part.

[jeaniebueller]

Good. Fuck the circus.

[Alyssa]

I hope all the animals are taken out. We don't need to see someone cracking a whip at 15 lions and tigers.

[cohmom]

An alumna from my veterinary school heads the vet services department at the Florida retirement center. I have always known her as ethical and kind. At least they will have a decent retirement home. I feel like now that the ball is rolling the big cats will be next. Because dogs and horses are domestic animals and typically governed under a different set of laws and guidelines, I can't see those kinds of acts disappearing anytime soon.

[lovesherheels]

I was so glad to hear this on the radio this morning. Although, I don't understand why it'll take till 2018 to phase out the acts.

But anyway. It's a good start. Hopefully all the animal acts will be gone soon.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Mar 5, 2015 12:28:01 GMT -5 @autiger said:

There are seriously complaints about this on the comments section of the FB posts. That "the elephants are the best part!"

Um. WTF? No. No they are not the best part. Some people need to be treated like the circus treats those elephants. Then? THEN they can tell me that the elephants are the best part.

I stopped listening to a local radio station a while back when one of the morning show DJs was very pro-circus and tried to argue that the animals clearly loved being there.

She got crucified on air, though.

[Deleted]

Mar 5, 2015 14:08:24 GMT -5 lovesherheels said:

I was so glad to hear this on the radio this morning. Although, I don't understand why it'll take till 2018 to phase out the acts.

But anyway. It's a good start. Hopefully all the animal acts will be gone soon.

I imagine part of it is a question of financing and logistics. You can't just drop that many elephants off somewhere and tell the sanctuary to buy more peanuts tomorrow.

[lovesherheels]

Mar 5, 2015 14:52:28 GMT -5 @helenabonhamcarter said:

Mar 5, 2015 14:08:24 GMT -5 lovesherheels said:

I was so glad to hear this on the radio this morning. Although, I don't understand why it'll take till 2018 to phase out the acts.

But anyway. It's a good start. Hopefully all the animal acts will be gone soon.

I imagine part of it is a question of financing and logistics. You can't just drop that many elephants off somewhere and tell the sanctuary to buy more peanuts tomorrow.

That makes sense. It just seems like a long time to me.

[cohmom]

Not really very long to develop and adapt new housing. Decide and trial herd dynamics. Can't just throw them together and hope for the best.

[Deleted]

Good, it's about time.

[msmerymac]

Mar 5, 2015 12:28:01 GMT -5 @autiger said:

There are seriously complaints about this on the comments section of the FB posts. That "the elephants are the best part!"

Um. WTF? No. No they are not the best part. Some people need to be treated like the circus treats those elephants. Then? THEN they can tell me that the elephants are the best part.

I bet these people use keurigs, too.

[msmerymac]

Mar 5, 2015 15:16:00 GMT -5 cohmom said:

Not really very long to develop and adapt new housing. Decide and trial herd dynamics. Can't just throw them together and hope for the best.

They probably also have contracts with trainers and will need to revamp their show.

[cohmom]

I would imagine the trainers have contracts but will likely be re-purposed as attendants at the sanctuary. I doubt the trainers are a driving force though. Likely, the trainers are not happy with this, this kind of work is usually apprenticeship skills and hard to translate onto a resume. You'd be surprised how many "big time trainers" have questionable credentials.  Ringling cares about making money, and they are somewhat responding to consumer demand. I would not be surprised to see them try to re-frame their retirement sanctuary as a major tourist attraction.

[pescalita]

Mar 5, 2015 14:52:28 GMT -5 @helenabonhamcarter said:

Mar 5, 2015 14:08:24 GMT -5 lovesherheels said:

I was so glad to hear this on the radio this morning. Although, I don't understand why it'll take till 2018 to phase out the acts.

But anyway. It's a good start. Hopefully all the animal acts will be gone soon.

I imagine part of it is a question of financing and logistics. You can't just drop that many elephants off somewhere and tell the sanctuary to buy more peanuts tomorrow.

This has me in fits. 

Honestly, I bet they're counting on some to die in the next 3 years so they don't have to house as many.

[gottadobe]

Good news!

[cohmom]

Mar 5, 2015 15:54:52 GMT -5 pescalita said:

Mar 5, 2015 14:52:28 GMT -5 @helenabonhamcarter said:

I imagine part of it is a question of financing and logistics. You can't just drop that many elephants off somewhere and tell the sanctuary to buy more peanuts tomorrow.

This has me in fits. 

Honestly, I bet they're counting on some to die in the next 3 years so they don't have to house as many.

I think its a bit short sited to think their care givers want them to die. Even corporate would not want them dead bad PR.

[pescalita]

Mar 5, 2015 16:27:24 GMT -5 cohmom said:

Mar 5, 2015 15:54:52 GMT -5 pescalita said:

This has me in fits. 

Honestly, I bet they're counting on some to die in the next 3 years so they don't have to house as many.

I think its a bit short sited to think their care givers want them to die. Even corporate would not want them dead bad PR.

I'm not saying that, I'm saying the meeting went something like this: 

We're shutting down the elephant thing; we have 500 elephants to feed and house and entertain. 

We can't do that. 

How much would it take to build? 

Eleventy thousand dollars. It would take 2 years. 

Will we still have 500 elephants in 2 years? 

Given average life expectancy, we should have 475 elephants in 2 years. 

Make it 3.