Animal Awareness / Kelly Miller Circus

Past Events

Animal Awareness demonstrated at the Kelly Miller Circus in Linthicum on June 3, 2002. Details can be found on our past events page.

Letter from Animal Awareness to Kelly Miller Circus Sponsors

May 27, 2002

Dear Kelly Miller Circus Sponsor,

I am writing to you today to express concerns about your organization's support of the Kelly Miller Circus. The members of the Linthicum community, as with the rest of the world, are increasingly interested in patronizing establishments whose policies are consistent with their own ethical concerns. The drastically inhumane treatment of the animals used for entertainment by circuses is becoming unacceptable to people who are aware of the inherent cruelty.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports and police files, the Kelly Miller Circus bears have been found malnourished and having bloody paws from pacing, elephant handlers have been seen stabbing their animals with sharp bullhooks, and when not performing, their chimpanzee Billy Joe is kept in solitary confinement with temperatures into the mid-90's and high humidity levels. The USDA has also cited the Kelly Miller Circus for failure to handle animals in a manner that is safe to the animals and the public, failure to provide veterinary records, and failure to provide structurally sound enclosures. The Kelly Miller Circus leases animals from its sister circus, Carson & Barnes who also has a long list of USDA violations.

The USDA rarely follows up even when hard evidence of abuse is found because no one is there to witness any abuses as it happens, making it difficult to prove how and from whom the animal received the injury. Even when the USDA does write up the circus for violations, the circus continues to operate the same way because current legislation is weak. They are fined but nothing more. Therefore, it is up to conscientious establishments such as yours to address this issue by not supporting the Kelly Miller Circus or any other entertainment that uses animal acts.

In addition to years of agonizing mental and physical torment caused by abusive training techniques, the mere fact that oftentimes circus elephants are kept shackled for up to 23 hours a day, induces a lifetime of misery. The fact is that no government agency or any humane organization monitors the training sessions of circus animals. Whips, chains, bullhooks and muzzles all bear testimony to the brute use of force that is implicit in any circus involving wild animals. Visit CircusWatch.com to find out why ex-Ringling Bros. employees like Tom Rider have now dedicated their lives to fighting for these noble, magnificent, and suffering animals.

Although the circus on the outside seems colorful, fun, and happy, what people are really buying is a ticket to a lifetime of suffering, despair and unthinkable hopelessness for animals. In order for a family to have just one afternoon of entertainment, animals suffer for a lifetime. Their only hope is for compassionate citizens everywhere to go to non-animal circuses like Cirque Du Soliel, which relies on the talents and abilities of willing participants.

I have enclosed a list of animal-free circuses that travel throughout the United States and would recommend that you choose to support one of these wonderful acts instead.

Sincerely,

Janet Deery
Animal Awareness