Ban the Use of Elephants in the American Circus

Behind the scenes of the circus, elephants are being abused physically and psychologically. Bull hooks, long rods with steel hooks at the end, are used to stab the elephants as a common form of discipline.

The elephants are beaten all over their body and are chained up to hard surfaces when they're not being trained. The elephants also spend the majority of the year enclosed in small boxcars traveling across America, eating and defacating in the same area. Undercover investigations have been done by the ASPCA, PETA, and the USDA, and have documented evidence of this abuse. For example, in 2009 PETA went undercover to reveal that the elephants were being beaten with bull hooks. Also, in 1997 the USDA openly investigated the Ringling Bros. Circus and documented evidence of elephant abuse.

A former employee also placed a complaint against the abuse preformed by the training staff. Still, the USDA closed the case because there was insufficient evidence. The Animal Welfare Act and the Endangered Species Act are not being enforced because of the broad discretion of enforcement carried out by the USDA. Since the government acts don't include a citizen suit provision, a private citizen can't sue the USDA for not enforcing the acts.

For this reason it is important to send this petition to a House Representative of Arizona, so the elephant abuse in the circus can be acknowledged and stopped.