To the editor:
Once again the Shriner’s Circus is coming to Maine with wild animals in captivity; enslaved, to entertain us. What they’re doing is wrong. Ringling Bros., the mother of all circuses, finally realized this and sent their elephants to a beautiful sanctuary to live out the rest of their lives in relative peace. They plan to retire their other animal acts within the next two years.
Ringling did not do this out of the kindness of their hearts. They did it in response to their audiences becoming aware of their brutality in training these animals and the extreme cruelty of the confinement in cages, in the case of the large cats, and being chained to the floor at all times, in the case of the elephants. Ringling, in point of fact, began losing money because people refused to buy tickets to their shows due to the abuse of the animals.
The Shriner Circus and the like will continue to abuse and confine animals for their acts until Mainers begin to refuse to buy tickets. It is up to us, frankly, to stop this disgusting practice. Undercover videos of this abuse is plentiful online if you need proof, and I encourage everyone to see for themselves how these beautiful creatures are broken for our amusement.
Please do not be the proverbial ostrich and stick your head in the sand. These animals have no voice of their own. They’re depending on you and I to do the right thing.
It’s been well over 35 years since I’ve attended a circus. I stopped when I realized how they separate the babies at six months, rope them down to break them, use sharp bullhooks to control them and then take away their ability to be free. I will not close my eyes to their torment and abuse. Will you?
Clare Kierstead
Presque Isle
