PETA causes scene in Florence
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Peta Protest
Peta Protest
STAFF / ANGELA E. KERSHNER
PETA Assistant Campaign Coordinator for International Grassroots Campaigns Virginia Fort speaks with passerby Angela Hatchell of Florence as activist Olivia Mora of Boston portrays a caged tiger during a PETA protest against the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Florence on Tuesday, January 27, 2009. Mora wore little more than her painted tiger stripes to “expose Ringling’s abusive treatment of animals.“
A painted woman in a tiny cage caused a scene Tuesday in downtown Florence to call attention to what she and others consider the plight of circus animals.
PETA representatives also passed out information and held up signs to protest Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, which will present the Boom A Ring circus event from Feb. 6 through Feb. 8 at Florence Civic Center.
“We want to hand out as much information as possible in order to get word of mouth spreading about what’s going on behind the scenes (of the circus)” PETA spokeswoman Virginia Fort said.
PETA representatives said they’re going to each circus location before the show arrives.
“This is nothing new and happens almost every week, but unfortunately they’re picking on the wrong show,” Ringling Brothers Production Manager James Gibson said. “They always fail to mention we have a research center in central Florida for elephants, and we are trying to prevent them from becoming extinct.”
Fort said that doesn’t make up for how animals are treated in a circus.
“Elephants and other animals are shackled and left in tiny cages and are beaten in order to force them to perform for them,” she said. “It’s very confusing and unnatural tricks.”
Ringling Brothers denies that claim.
“When we train our animals, we do not use force, and the animals are trained with their natural behaviors,” Gibson said.
PETA representatives said they hope people realize the caged activist chose to be in such a display, while the circus animals do not.
“She’ out here representing the animals in the circus who are hauled around the country for up to 50 weeks out of the year in poorly-ventilated boxcars and trailers, often times without proper access to food, water or veterinary care,” Frost said.
Ringling Brothers, meanwhile, said the truth is inside the ring.
“We love our animals and are open to inspections on a local, state and federal level at anytime,” Gibson said. “A veterinarian tech is on staff, and we have on-call veterinarians in every town.”
PETA representatives told News13 their next stop is Fayetteville, N.C., where the circus is set to perform next.
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Reader Reactions
I think the ALF does what no one else will do. SOMEONE has to stand up for those with no voice. Some people and companies just can’t be compromised with.
PETA kills 85% of all animals they “save”. They claim they are forced to kill viable animals because it is impossible to do much due to their limited budget (30mil annually). Yet PETA calls the slaughter of livestock MURDER and compares it to the Holocaust. In comparison their neighbors the Norfolk SPCA saves 73% of all animals they take in with a annual budget a fraction of a fraction of PETA.
PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk claims: “A rat is a dog is a boy”. If a boy = a dog and animal “MURDER” is a acceptable practice by PETA standards, then is the killing of unwanted children acceptable? Apparently so according to PETA’s logic.
PETA is against all animal medical research. Good luck living past 40 without modern medicine. If you support this then please refuse all medical treatment for you and your child since modern medicine was founded on the sacrifices of animal testing. PETAs leadership uses insulin which was tested on animals. PETA does not consider this hypocritical by any means. How convenient of them.
PETA’s tax records show donations and loans made to convicted homegrown terrorist Rodney Coronado. PETA also contributed to his legal defense fund. Rodney has confessed in public lectures of firebombing private property in the name of ALF (Animal Liberation Front). PETA leadership calls this terrorist a “fine upstanding young man”. Rodney has gone to college campuses to teach students to build home made firebombs.
PETA is no better than Al Qaeda, just more media savvy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js6-eyvNM2k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ijLulwUTY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itswGWddk2A
I know they were trying to show both sides of the story but it did seem as if they sided with ringling. I dont even know why anyone would bother listening to ringling with the video footage that PETA has. they are liars end of story.
I hate the way this article was written. It seems to me as if News 13 is siding with the circus.
Regardless of how you feel about PETA, they’re right. Their website has video’s that were shot UNDERCOVER at THIS circus (and others). The money they make is enough to pay off the ‘vet tech’ to keep quiet and this also works with the vets they CHOOSE in each town. Those animals have rights and shouldn’t be slaves to human entertainment needs. That’s not the life they would choose for themselves, even if they WERE (which they aren’t) treated like royalty. Don’t go to the circus people. You’re supporting the misery of animals and teaching your kids that humans can do whatever they want to the non-humans on this planet. People are losing their grip on compassion.
I did find their banned Super Bowl commercial to be somewhat entertaining.
I don’t know why.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/27/petas-veggie-sex-super-bo_n_161180.html
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