Another Ex Worker Exposes Cruelty Behind Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus: Tells of Daily Abuse to All Animals

I’ve written so much on this that it’s almost monthly that more comes out. Why they continue their abusive ways and why people support them I’ll never know.

Of course, Ringling Brothers tries to down her credibility. But as I wrote about last week, even Steve-O from Jackass has come out about the cruelty he witnessed while learning to be a clown there! So, it has nothing to do with any motives other than telling the truth. You can read about Steve - O and the cruelty he witnessed behind the scenes at Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus at:
http://geari.blogspot.com/2007/01/
jackass-star-steve-o-breaks-his.html

Here is an excerpt from the article below which exposes what she witnessed behind the scenes:

"The abuse was not once in a while, it occurred every day," Archele Hundley told lawmakers. "The elephants, horses and camels were hit, punched, beaten and whipped by everyone from the head of animal care down to inexperienced animal handlers hired out of homeless shelters."

For more about the cruelty behind the circus including VIDEO PROOF see http://www.circuses.com/

Article:

Cruelty alleged in the big top

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20070131/1049808.asp

Ex-circus worker seeks ban on animal acts; Ringling official calls conern 'unjustified'

By BRIAN MEYER
News Staff Reporter
1/31/2007

Click to view larger picture
John Hickey/Buffalo News
Former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus worker Archele Hundley shows the Common Council a bull hook used on elephants to dramatize how handlers are taught to keep the animals afraid.

A former employee of the nation's largest traveling circus Tuesday claimed she witnessed vicious acts of animal cruelty and urged the Common Council to ban events in Buffalo that include exotic animal acts.

"The abuse was not once in a while, it occurred every day," Archele Hundley told lawmakers. "The elephants, horses and camels were hit, punched, beaten and whipped by everyone from the head of animal care down to inexperienced animal handlers hired out of homeless shelters."

The West Virginia woman claimed handlers are taught to keep the animals afraid.

But an executive with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus denied the allegations and submitted written testimony calling a ban "unnecessary and unjustified."

"We feel very strongly that our animal-care practices are second to none," Thomas L. Albert, the circus' vice president of government relations and animal policy, told The Buffalo News in a telephone interview.

Albert challenged Hundley's credibility, saying she only worked for Ringling Bros. for about two months last year. He also said that circus officials never heard Hundley's claims until animal advocates started "trotting" her around the country.

Hundley called that claim a lie.

"When I voiced concerns to Ringling management about the animal abuse, I was either ignored or told, "If you don't like it, pack your bags,' " she insisted.

The Council's Legislation Committee held the hearing after advocates lobbied for a law that would make Buffalo off-limits to circuses that use lions, elephants and other exotic animals. More than 20 municipalities across the nation already have imposed such bans, including Hollywood, Fla.

North Council Member Joseph Golombek Jr. will likely sponsor legislation proposing such a ban in Buffalo, and Majority Leader Dominic J. Bonifacio Jr. of the Niagara District said he might co-sponsor the bill.

Albert said animals remain the top attraction for a traveling circus, adding that Ringling Bros. is committed to making them feel "safe and secure." He said the circus has been coming to Buffalo since 1919, when Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey combined their operations. He said he hopes Buffalo follows the lead of other municipalities that have rejected bans, including Denver.

Circuses help to reinforce the role that people play as caretakers of animals, Albert said.

The education argument was dismissed by Jennifer Radecki of Animal Advocates of Western New York. She said exhibiting elephants "dressed up and performing silly tricks" contributes nothing to people's appreciation for animals.

Supporters of the ban claim animals in traveling circuses spend a lot of time in feces-filled boxcars or chained in arenas. They also downplayed the drawing power of animal acts.

"Banning exotic-animal acts would bring an end to the mistreatment that I witnessed on a daily basis but was powerless to stop," Hundley said.