It has been more years than I care to admit that I am even alive since I was last at a circus.  A real circus.  Not one thrown together by a community organization but a Big Top Circus.  Once I became an adult, most of the news I heard was the harsh treatment [...]]]>

It has been more years than I care to admit that I am even alive since I was last at a circus.  A real circus.  Not one thrown together by a community organization but a Big Top Circus.  Once I became an adult, most of the news I heard was the harsh treatment of the animals in the circus and while I am not what you would call an activist, I certainly don’t enjoy a show centered around animals who have been made to do a routine upon threat of punishment.

Since my son was born I have made a point of trying to avoid the circus especially for these reasons.  I took my son to a community circus but even then I was wondering how the animals were being treated. 

I am proud to say that I have completed my research and I am so very happy to see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus coming TONIGHT to the US Airways Center!  The RBB&B Circus has gone out of their way to ensure that the endangered elephants are protected and thriving under their care.  I viewd this 10 minute video  which is long but very informative.  I will also include some information from their site here:

Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation
A lifelong symbol of The Greatest Show on Earth®, the Asian elephant is a respected and revered member of the Ringling Bros.® family. In the interest of the species’ present and future well-being, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation® was established in 1995. Located in central Florida, this 200-acre, $5-million, state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to the conservation, breeding and understanding of these amazing animals.                         

Conservation
Endangered species? Not if we can help it. With less than 35,000 Asian elephants remaining in the world, animal conservationists agree that it requires programs such as the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation to ensure the Asian elephant population is guaranteed a long and safe future.

Breeding
Threatened by the severe habitat encroachment of humans in its native lands, the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation provides a safe, healthy environment where Asian elephants are secure and comfortable. Our breeding program is one of the most flourishing of its kind, with twenty births thus far.

Understanding
Built upon the 138 years of experience and expertise of working with elephants and exotic animals, the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation has become a global focal point for the study of Asian elephants. The Ringling Bros. Center hosts researchers, academicians and conservationists to create new dialogue focused around animal care, conservation and health and to exchange knowledge. Experts from around the world visit the Ringling Bros. Center to study the Asian elephant, including Dr. L.E.L. Rasmussen, Professor at Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology, and Dr. Raman Sukumar, Asian elephant expert and Dr. Chalres Santiapillai, Sri Lankan Zoologist

There is also an entire website devoted to their care of the elephants.  Check it out at http://www.elephantcenter.com/.

Here are some of the FAQs that you can find on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’ website:

Animal Care FAQ

People often ask, “How do animals live at The Greatest Show On Earth®?” Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about this all-important subject.

Q: How does Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®care for its animals?
A: Because animals are an integral part of what we present to our audiences, Ringling Bros.® provides the highest standards of care to our animal performers 365 days a year. Our staff consists of animal experts who devote their lives to living, working with and caring for animals. They meet the animals’ physical needs with nutritious foods and regular veterinary attention and their mental needs by providing a stimulating environment. In all aspects of animal care and safety, Ringling Bros. exceeds all federal animal welfare standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Animal Welfare Act.

Q: What are the conditions where the animals live at each arena?
A: We pride ourselves on the level of care and the healthy environment we provide for all our animal performers. In arenas where space permits, our animal facility is outdoors and in the full view of the public. Each animal is groomed daily. The entire stable area, as well as individual animal stalls, is kept clean around the clock. We often provide guided tours of our facility for animal experts and media.

Q: What are the traveling conditions for the animals?
A: Ringling Bros. operates the largest private train network in the United States. Every traveling species has custom-made traveling cars, and our traveling animals are under constant supervision. On longer train rides, the caravan stops at scheduled intervals to provide the animals time to exercise. In the event of an emergency, we have evacuation procedures in place. Our trains and housing facilities are routinely inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and exceed all federal guidelines.

Q: How much time do your animals spend performing?
A: Just an hour or two on performance days. An average day in the life of a Ringling Bros. animal includes feeding, training, rehearsal and play. For the most part, our animals spend more than half of the day eating, sleeping and socializing with other animals.

Q: How are the animals trained to perform their routines?
A: Our expert handlers watch closely as their animals socialize, then create routines based on natural behavior. We use voice recognition and rewards to encourage the animals to learn a set routine. This process ensures that our animals are relaxed when they are displaying their natural behaviors to patrons in an entertaining fashion.

Q: What happens to the animals when they are too old to perform?
A: Of the animals you see performing with Ringling Bros., some belong to us, and others join us for a specific amount of time and are owned by private individuals. When an animal reaches retirement age while living with us, Ringling Bros. finds healthy and stimulating environments that provide excellent care for the remainder of their lives. Our Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation® is a shining example. Our elephants spend their “golden years” with our herd in Polk County, Florida, under the watchful eye of animal care experts. We also donate retired Ringling Bros. elephants to zoos to help these communities maintain social herds for their existing elephants. As of 2001, retired Ringling Bros. elephants now make their homes at The Phoenix Zoo, The Niabi Zoo and The Little Rock Zoo. Many of our big cats retire to Wildlife on Easy Street, a sanctuary located in Tampa, Florida, that is home to 23 species and subspecies of wild cats.

Q: Is it true that animals, especially elephants, have a longer life span in captivity?
A: Indeed it is. In the wild, elephants are threatened by predators, hunters, and starvation due to a dwindling natural habitat. The elephants at Ringling Bros. are assured a lifetime of veterinary care, nutritious meals and a clean, safe home. Circus elephants generally live 62 to 70 years, which is even longer than zoo elephants. Some think this is because of the daily activity and mental stimulation of performing.

Q: At what age does a young elephant perform?
A: Calves born under the care of Ringling Bros. remain with their natural mothers until old enough to be properly weaned, usually 2 years. Some youngsters have short tours with the circus, while others may stay at the Center for Elephant Conservation. In either case, young elephants have opportunities for social interaction with other elephants, while developing positive connections with caretakers and handlers that lay the groundwork for performing.

Q: How does Ringling Bros. feel about the regulation of performing animals?
A: We welcome regulation, because it protects the well-being of all animals. There are many federal animal welfare statutes and state and local animal cruelty laws in place to protect performing animals and prosecute those who neglect or mistreat them. As a standard-bearer for the circus industry, Ringling Bros. contributes to the public lawmaking process by sharing our expertise with public officials.

FAQs by Bruce Read, Vice President of Animal Stewardship

And finally, here is one more note from the great people at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus:

Animal Care
A relationship built on respect, trust, affection and uncompromising care.

The animal care professionals at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® believe that a positive, healthy environment is the only acceptable and successful method of working with animals. The animals are fed, watered, groomed and cleaned daily. The entire stable area, including individual stalls, is cleaned regularly. The manure is removed and fresh bedding is provided.

Trainers teach animals routines that showcase their physical abilities and beauty, as well as their distinctive behaviors. Our training methods are based on reinforcement in the form of food rewards and words of praise. Verbal or physical abuse and the withholding of food or water are strictly prohibited. Drugs or sedatives are not administered unless prescribed by our vets for medical reasons.

Our valuable vets.

Ringling Bros.® employs a full-time veterinary staff to provide ongoing medical care for all of our animals. Each animal in our circus family receives regular, thorough medical examinations and all needed vaccinations. Each touring unit has its own veterinary technician who travels with the show and provides daily medical care to the animals, while two full-time veterinarians travel between the units.

In addition, we work with a network of 90 local veterinarians, and one is on call 24 hours a day in each city where the show performs. There are no days off for animal care. It is a 7-days-a-week, 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year responsibility that we take very seriously.

I hope you find this information as helpful as I have.  I hope you will see that by going to see the circus we all grew up with we can actually help provide for the very animals that are endangered! 

Don’t forget, if you haven’t registered to win FREE tickets from MomsZone.org, be sure to visit our site at www.MomsZone.org.  For those who don’t win, you still have a great opportunity to see the circus.  Go to www.ticketmaster.com and enter the code MOM to purchase 4 tickets for only $44.  **Get 4 tickets for $44 by entering the code “MOM” in the MC promotion code box on Ticketmaster. Minimum
purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Rinkside or VIP seating. Cannot be combined with other offers. Service Charges, facility & handling fees will apply.

I can’t wait to go and see the show and I hope to see you there too!