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Past Events
Animal Awareness leafleted at the UniverSoul Circus when it
came to Mondawmin Mall June 14 to June 23, 2002. |
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Letter from Animal Awareness
to UniverSoul Circus Sponsors
May 27, 2002
Dear UniverSoul Circus Sponsor,
I am writing to you today to express concerns about your organization's
support of the UniverSoul Circus. The members of the Baltimore 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.
Please don't be fooled by the fact that UniverSoul does not have a long list of USDA violations in their name. They lease all of their animals and do not have an exhibitor's license, but every exhibitor that they lease their animals from does indeed have many violations. If you check under the outside companies, including Tarzan Zerbini Circus, Kay Rosaire, Bucky Steele, Rosaire-Zoppe Chimps, and Mitchel Kalmanson, then you will find many disturbing violations.
A frightening report about the UniverSoul exhibitor, Tarzan Zerbini, was reported on www.circuses.com. A 27-year-old Tarzan Zerbini circus worker, who had been drinking, was hospitalized in serious condition after he was attacked by an elephant who had broken free of her shackles in Duluth, Minn., where the circus was performing for Shriners. Another elephant trainer admitted that the elephants had been beaten badly by drunken trainers and were wary of people with alcohol on their breath. The trainer also commented, "There are probably more people killed and injured by elephants than by any other exotic animal."
There have been many terrible incidents by Tarzan Zerbini animals, even involving injury to the spectators. A bear bit off the tip of a 2-year-old child's finger in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A Tarzan Zerbini employee was critically injured when an elephant stepped on her and crushed her pelvis in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Three children were injured during elephant rides in Michigan. Nine people were injured in Lafayette, Indiana when elephants collided and caused a barricade to come toppling down. There are many more examples. Do you really want to risk injury to the public at Mondawmin Mall? These animals have been abused so badly over the years that they could again lash out during a performance.
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 UniverSoul 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.
In addition to the public safety issues and the inhumane treatment
of the animals, there is also the fact that enslaving animals keeps
oppression alive in the world. And as long as any group is still oppressed
then we all suffer no matter what group we are in, whether women,
minority, handicap, religious group, or other group dealing with oppression.
enslaving animals for the sole purpose of human entertainment and
exploitation sends a terrible message to the children. Richard Pryor
put it best when he said, "But for the use of physical punishment
by their oppressors, animals would never be part of a circus."
Sincerely,
Janet Deery
Animal Awareness
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