HSUS Letter to FWST Urging Boycott of Shrine Circus

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Special thanks to the Humane Society of the United States for submitting a letter to the Fort Worth Star Telegram editor urging FW residents not to attend the circus (see below). Support HSUS and our local AR efforts to educate the public by writing your own letter to the Fort Worth Star Telegram exposing the inherent cruelty of the circus. FWST Letter to the Editor: lettersWhen you write, include your name, mailing address and day time phone. Brief, civil and well-written letters have a good chance of being published. The more letters the FWST receives, the more likely it is that the HSUS letter will be published. When you write, please use your own words. Obviously, it would be counter-productive to use the same language as did HSUS. Remember: Circus animals desperately need your help. Leaflet at the Shrine Circus on Friday, November 16 and Saturday, November 17. The animals have no one to stand up for them, but us. Thank you.

Margaret Morin Vegetarian Network of Dallas ***************************************************** Dear Editor, The circus is coming to town, but beneath its tent is a show no animal lover should see. This circus, like so many others, brings wild animal acts which are inherently cruel

and inhumane. While the public sees dancing elephants, the elephants see beatings with bullhooks and pipes if they don’t dance. While the public sees tigers jumping through rings of fire, the tigers see beatings with dowel rods and shocks from electric prods if they don't comply. Behind the scenes, animals are trained with extremely cruel methods. Some animals may be deprived of food and water during their training and before their performance. The trainers know that wild animals cannot be tamed, only trained through fear and domination. Traveling exhibits like circuses spend many hours on the road. Elephants are kept chained for long periods of time inside boxcars and trucks. Large felines are transported in cages that are 5 feet by 8 feet, which is not enough room for the agile creatures to stretch out. Many times these vehicles have no climate control and the animals suffer from extreme heat and cold. The only exercise circus animals get is their 15 minutes of fame during a show. The animals are not the only ones suffering under the big top. Circus spectators have been trampled by elephants, trainers have been mauled by large cats and circus goers have been biten by monkeys. Many of these animals carry diseases that can be transferred to humans. They,

too, can be infected by diseases we spread. The Humane Society of the United States encourages Fort Worth residents to rethink circuses. Bring another kind of circus to this area -- one without captive wild animals. It is time to shake the idea that cruelty is entertainment. Make a positive step toward compassion for animals. It's their planet, too. Donald W. Elroy Director of Wildlife Advocacy The Humane Society of the United States 2100 L Street NW Washington, DC 20037

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