[Peace-discuss] Peace for non-human animals

[Linda Evans]

Okay, off topic, but if anyone is interested...

I am co-organizing a peaceful protest of the Sterling
& Reid circus at the Champaign County Fairgrounds this
Mon/Tues at 4:30pm and 7:30pm.  This circus has been
cited on numerous occasions for mistreatment of the
animals in their care.  Anyone interested in attending
or writing letters, please contact me at
veganlinda at yahoo.com.

Thanks!

Linda

PS  Here is a short list of the problems documented
against this particular circus.  Obviously, oversight
of these circuses is not a top priority so if they are
fined or given a warning at all, it is rare.

>> October 19, 2002: According to The Virginian-Pilot,
>> an
>> elephant handler with Sterling & Reid, David
Creech,
>> was convicted on three counts of animal cruelty
(see September 4-5, 
>> 2002, entry) and fined $200 on each count. The
judge 
>acquitted Creech 
>> of a fourth count, which alleged that he struck an
elephant over the
>> head
>> with a bullhook, because it was unclear from the
>> eyewitness account which elephant trainer committed
>> the act.
>> 
>> September 4-5, 2002: According to The
>> Virginian-Pilot,
>> an elephant handler with Sterling & Reid, David
>> Creech, was charged with four counts of animal
>> cruelty
>> for beating an elephant until her hide was bloody
>> while performing at the Norfolk Scope on August 23.
>> The article stated, "An investigation by the
officer
>> and an outside veterinarian determined that the
>> elephant suffered multiple lacerations." Another
>> elephant handler, James Zajicek, was arrested and
>> charged with obstructing justice.
>> 
>> July 20, 2002: The USDA cited Sterling & Reid for
>> failure to provide adequate ventilation to prevent
>> the overheating of
>> animals stored in trailers in 98-degree heat.
>> 
>> April 10, 2002: According to the Chicago Daily
>> Herald,
>> the West Dundee, Ill., village board voted against
>> allowing Sterling & Reid to perform in the village.
>> One trustee who had earlier attended the circus
>> stated, "It was very expensive and poorly run."
>> 
>> February 26, 2002: According to the Buffalo News,
>> the
>> driver of the Sterling & Reid tractor-trailer that
>> was transporting
>> elephants slammed into the low overhang of the
North
>> Grand Island Bridge
>> in western New York state, sheering off the top of
>> the trailer and
>> agitating the elephants inside.
>> 
>> January 30, 2002: A USDA news release stated,
>> "[Sterling & Reid] settled its case with USDA by
>> agreeing to a $10,000 civil penalty [see October
31,
>> 2001]. Of that amount, $5,000 is suspended as long
>> as
>> there are no future violations of the AWA for one
>> year."
>> 
>> December 20, 2001: The USDA cited Sterling & Reid
>> for
>> failure to maintain tiger transport cages with
>> weakened doors, which could lead to the animals'
>> escaping.
>> 
>> October 31, 2001: The USDA charged Sterling & Reid
>> with violations of the AWA, including failures to
>> meet
>> safety, record-keeping, and housing standards.
>> 
>> July 18, 2001: According to a report by Team 4 news
>> in Pittsburgh, "Over
>> the past two years, the USDA has cited the circus
>> for nearly 50
>> infractions and given it $3,000 in fines."
>> 
>> July 11, 2001: City officials in Akron, Ohio,
closed
>> down Sterling & Reid early after discovering that
>> the
>> traveling circus did not comply with electrical,
>> bleacher, and tent safety standards.
>> 
>> June 26, 2001: The USDA cited Hawthorn for
>> physically
>> abusing elephants while touring with Sterling &
>> Reid.
>> The inspector observed the handler gouge an
elephant
>> named Ronnie on the trunk with a bullhook, causing
>> an
>> open lesion, and a different handler was "observed
>> raking the back of another elephant several times
>> with
>> his hook during the performance."
>> 
>> May 25, 2001: The USDA cited Sterling & Reid for
>> failure to correct a previously identified
violation
>> of not providing minimum space to two tigers.
>> 
>> April 4, 2001: The USDA cited Sterling & Reid for
>> failure to correct a previously identified
violation
>> of not providing animals with a diet approved by a
veterinarian. The
>> USDA also noted that the two tigers were not
>> provided with minimum space
>> and that the circus had an exercise pen for the
>> tigers but was not using
>> it.
>> 
>> February 15, 2001: The USDA cited Sterling & Reid
>> for
>> failure to correct previously identified violations
>> of
>> not providing two tigers with minimum space, not
>> providing animals with a diet approved by a
>> veterinarian, improper food storage, failure to
>> maintain transport compartments, and inadequate
recordkeeping.
>> 
>> November 21, 2000: The USDA cited Sterling & Reid
>> for
>> failure to provide minimum space to two tigers. The
>> circus was cited previously for this inadequacy on
>> August 24, 2000, and December 14, 1999. The
>> inspector
>> found that the tigers were living in their travel
>> wagons during the off-season.


=====
"I know you are smart and I know that you think you are doing what is best for me.  But if freedom is handled just your way then it's not my freedom or free."  Toni and Slade Morrison from their children's book "The Big Box"
 
"Well, I think it's much too late and I think things are much too bad for pessimism."  John Robbins 



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