Ringling Brothers Will Stand Trial for Elephant Abuse (Circus Withheld Evidence plus video)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/wildlife_news/ringling_brothers_trial.html

Video at link.

August 23, 2007

Today, Judge Emmet Sullivan of the federal district court in Washington D.C. issued a major ruling rejecting the last-ditch attempt of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus to avoid trial over charges that the circus abuses its Asian elephants in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act.


Warren Garst
In the wild, Asian elephants travel many miles a day.


The groundbreaking lawsuit, brought by The Fund for Animals, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Animal Protection Institute, the Animal Welfare Institute and Tom Rider, a former employee of Ringling Bros., alleges that the circus violates the Endangered Species Act by abusively training and disciplining elephants with sharp implements such as bullhooks, by intensively confining and chaining the multi-ton animals for prolonged periods, and by forcibly separating baby elephants from their mothers.

"Today's strongly worded decision shows that the Court has run out of patience for Ringling Brothers' stalling ploys," said Michael Markarian, president of The Fund for Animals. "This trial will come not a moment too soon, as Ringling's elephants continue to suffer every day from abusive discipline and prolonged chaining."

Circus Withheld Evidence

In its ruling, the Court scolded the circus for "wast a considerable amount of time and resources" of the Court and the groups by engaging in "dilatory" delay tactics over several years. The Court had previously ruled and today reiterated that the circus had repeatedly withheld critical evidence, in violation of a Court order.

The groundbreaking lawsuit, brought by The Fund for Animals, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Animal Protection Institute, the Animal Welfare Institute and Tom Rider, a former employee of Ringling Bros., alleges that the circus violates the Endangered Species Act by abusively training and disciplining elephants with sharp implements such as bullhooks, by intensively confining and chaining the multi-ton animals for prolonged periods, and by forcibly separating baby elephants from their mothers.

"Today's strongly worded decision shows that the Court has run out of patience for Ringling Brothers' stalling ploys," said Michael Markarian, president of The Fund for Animals. "This trial will come not a moment too soon, as Ringling's elephants continue to suffer every day from abusive discipline and prolonged chaining."

Circus Withheld Evidence

In its ruling, the Court scolded the circus for "wast a considerable amount of time and resources" of the Court and the groups by engaging in "dilatory" delay tactics over several years. The Court had previously ruled and today reiterated that the circus had repeatedly withheld critical evidence, in violation of a Court order.

FULL story and video at link.

[hlthe2b]

1. God, this is devastating...

all those fond memories of the circus (yes, I know they are controversial, now, no matter how you look at it).... Nonetheless, I really never wanted to think that Ringling Brothers were doing this.

I cringe when I think of elephants-- who have been found to be so emotionally sophisticated and intelligent,to have such long lives and life-long memories-- could be treated so. Some days it is so sad to be human...

[wtmusic]

2. They've always mistreated animals

Goes back to the beginning. I really can't stomach watching these displays anymore, knowing what the animals went through to get there.