Editing Circus (section)

====United States====
According to PETA, although the US [[Animal Welfare Act of 1966|Animal Welfare Act]] does not permit any sort of punishment that puts the animals in discomfort,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm |title=Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations |publisher=Nal.usda.gov |access-date=20 April 2012  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416104435/http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm |archive-date=16 April 2009 }}</ref> trainers will still go against this law and use such things as electric rods and [[bullhook]]s.<ref name=abuse>{{cite web|url=http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=66 |title=Circuses: Three Rings of Abuse |publisher=Peta.org |access-date=20 April 2012  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726045752/http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=66 |archive-date=26 July 2010 }}</ref> According to PETA, during an undercover investigation of Carson & Barnes Circus, video footage was captured showing animal care director Tim Frisco training endangered Asian elephants with electrical shock prods and instructing other trainers to "beat the elephants with a [[bullhook]] as hard as they can and sink the sharp metal hook into the elephant's flesh and twist it until they scream in pain".<ref name=abuse/>

On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands, [[Wageningen University and Research Centre|Wageningen University]] conducted an investigation into the welfare of circus animals in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/bestanden/documenten-en-publicaties/kamerstukken/2008/02/19/onderzoek-circusdieren/20080219-dl-2008-344.pdf|date=19 February 2008|title=19 february 2008 – Projectvoorstel Ministerie LNV onderzoek welzijn circusdieren|access-date=19 April 2013}}</ref> The following issues, among others, were found:

* 71% of the observed animals had medical problems.
* 33% of tigers and lions did not have access to an outdoor enclosure.
* Lions spend on average 98% of their time indoors.
* An average enclosure for tigers is only 5 m<sup>2</sup>.
* Elephants are shackled in chains for 17 hours a day on average.
* Elephants spend on average 10 hours a day showing [[Stereotypy (non-human)|stereotypic behaviour]].
* Tigers are terrified of fire but are still forced to jump through fire rings.
* Since 1990 there have been over 123 cases of lion attacks at circuses.
* Animals are trained through discipline.{{clarify|date=April 2017}}

Based on these findings, the researchers called for more stringent regulation regarding the welfare of circus animals. In 2012, the Dutch government announced a ban on the use of wild circus animals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eturbonews.com/32034/dutch-government-announces-ban-use-wild-animals-circuses|title=Dutch government announces ban on the use of wild animals in circuses|date=1 November 2012|access-date=19 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514200606/http://www.eturbonews.com/32034/dutch-government-announces-ban-use-wild-animals-circuses|archive-date=14 May 2013}}</ref>

In testimony in [[U.S. District Court]] in 2009, [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus]] CEO [[Kenneth Feld]] acknowledged that circus elephants are struck behind the ears, under the chin and on their legs with metal tipped prods, called bullhooks. Feld stated that these practices are necessary to protect circus workers. Feld also acknowledged that an elephant trainer was reprimanded for using an electric shock device, known as a hot shot or electric prod, on an elephant, which Feld also stated was appropriate practice. Feld denied that any of these practices harm elephants.<ref>[https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iIvnEu-D_CqeGOboBYNAvQvp8EvQD96MTJS80 Circus CEO says elephants are struck, but not hurt]{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In its January 2010 verdict on the case, brought against Feld Entertainment International by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals et al., the Court ruled that evidence against the circus company was "not credible with regard to the allegations".<ref>Court Record, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Civil Action No 03-2006 (EGS)</ref> In lieu of a [[USDA]] hearing, [[Feld Entertainment, Inc.|Feld Entertainment Inc]]. (parent of Ringling Bros.) agreed to pay an unprecedented $270,000 fine for violations of the Animal Welfare Act that allegedly occurred between June 2007 and August 2011.<ref>Leigh Remizowski, [https://web.archive.org/web/20111201121216/http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-29/us/us_ringling-bros-fine_1_animal-welfare-act-usda-cruelty?_s=PM:US "USDA Fines Ringling Bros. Circus Over Treatment of Animals], " CNN 29 November 2011.</ref>

A 14-year litigation against the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to an end in 2014 when [[The Humane Society of the United States]] and a number of other animal rights groups paid a $16 million settlement to Feld Entertainment; however, the circus closed in May 2017 after a 146-year run when it experienced a steep decline in ticket sales a year after it discontinued its elephant act and sent its [[Pachydermata|pachyderm]]s to a reserve.<ref>{{cite news|first=Thomas|last=Heath|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/ringling-circus-prevails-in-14-year-legal-case-collects-16m-from-humane-society-others/2014/05/16/50ce00b8-dd15-11e3-8009-71de85b9c527_story.html|title=Ringling Circus prevails in 14-year legal case; collects $16M from Humane Society, others|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=16 May 2014|access-date=12 June 2017}}</ref><ref>(1) {{cite news|first=Amy B|last=Wang|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2017/01/15/animal-activists-finally-have-something-to-applaud-at-the-ringling-bros-circus-its-closure/|title=Animal activists finally have something to applaud at Ringling Bros. circus: Its closure|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=15 January 2017|access-date=12 June 2017|quote=In 2015, Ringling Bros. announced it would stop using elephants in its shows. The lumbering mammals delivered their final performances last May — dancing, spinning and standing on pedestals at the command of the ringmaster — and then were retired to a reserve in central Florida. The move exacerbated the show's demise; the elephants' departure ultimately expedited what was a 'difficult business decision'. 'Ringling Bros. ticket sales have been declining, but following the transition of the elephants off the road, we saw an even more dramatic drop', Kenneth Feld said in a statement Saturday. 'This, coupled with high operating costs, made the circus an unsustainable business for the company.'}}<br />(2) {{cite news|first=Karin|last=Brulliard|date=21 May 2017|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/thunderous-applause-tears-as-the-greatest-show-on-earth-takes-a-final-bow/2017/05/21/f75dbf26-3bd7-11e7-a058-ddbb23c75d82_story.html|title=Thunderous applause, tears as the 'greatest show on Earth' takes a final bow|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=12 June 2017|quote=... Ringling had become the target of animal protection groups that claimed it mistreated its elephants, and the two sides soon locked in a 14-year legal battle so cutthroat it involved secret informants paid by animal groups and a former CIA official who was paid by Ringling's parent company, Feld Entertainment, to spy on activists and a journalist. The litigation ended with several animal groups paying a $16 million settlement to Feld. While the animal activists never prevailed against Ringling in court, they were victorious outside. The allegations of elephant abuse prompted municipalities around the country to ban elephant bullhooks — a sharp metal tool used by handlers — or to prohibit wild animal performances altogether, as Los Angeles recently moved to do. After Ringling retired its last pachyderms to a company-owned elephant conservation center in Florida, ticket sales declined much more than Feld expected, and the company announced in January that Ringling would close for good.}}</ref>

On 1 February 1992 at the Great American Circus in [[Palm Bay, Florida]], an elephant named Janet (1965 – 1 February 1992) went out of control while giving a ride to a mother, her two children, and three other children. The elephant then stampeded through the circus grounds outside before being shot to death by police.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19930506&id=jfgNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=X3sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6834,42417|title=Elephant incidents in recent years|date=6 May 1993|author=St. Petersburg Times|access-date=19 April 2010}}</ref> Also, during a Circus International performance in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]], on 20 August 1994, an elephant called [[Tyke (elephant)|Tyke]] (1974 – 20 August 1994) killed her trainer, [[Allen Campbell]], and severely mauled her groomer, Dallas Beckwith, in front of hundreds of spectators. Tyke then bolted from the arena and ran through the streets of [[Kakaako]] for more than thirty minutes. Police fired 86 shots at Tyke, who eventually collapsed from the wounds and died.<ref name="hawthorn">{{cite web | url = http://www.circuses.com/fact-hawthorn.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041013182206/http://www.circuses.com/fact-hawthorn.asp  | archive-date = 13 October 2004 | title = Hawthorn Corporation | publisher = Circuses.com }}</ref>

In December 2018, New Jersey became the first state in the U.S. to ban circuses, carnivals and fairs from featuring elephants, tigers, and other exotic animals.<ref>Megan Burrow, "New Jersey becomes first state to ban wild animal circus acts", ''[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/12/15/noseys-law-new-jersey-becomes-first-ban-wild-animal-circus-acts/2323388002/ North Jersey Record]'', 15 December 2018.</ref>