Ringling: Release your Animals Only to Accredited Sanctuaries
Final signature count: 10,465
10,465 signatures toward our 30,000 goal
Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site
Barnum & Bailey Circus might be ending, but the animals still need safe homes
The news of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus’s closing in May 2017 was met with thunderous applause from animal lovers across the planet. The end of the circus means the end to more than a hundred years of animal cruelty. There is a great deal to celebrate about the closure, but there’s still work to be done. The fate of the animals so many rallied to protect is still up in the air.
Finding homes for dozens of animals in need is no easy feat. The company that owns Ringling Bros, Feld Entertainment, owns the majority of the animals used in their shows, including the most visible animals associated with the circus, tigers. There are also dozens of other species that present unique difficulties in rehoming. Kangaroos, llamas, camels, horses, and more all need safe homes that can address their species’ specific needs.
Feld Entertainment has publicly stated that they are committed to finding “suitable homes” for all the animals, but they have failed to elaborate on what constitutes a “suitable home.”
These animals deserve to live out their days in accredited, reputable sanctuaries. Ringling needs to commit to making sure they don’t end up with private owners, other circuses, or roadside zoos. The laws for exotic animal ownership vary state by state, and there’s very little federal oversight, so it’s up to Feld Entertainment to do right by their circus animals.
The only acceptable and “suitable” fate for these animals is for them to retire to accredited sanctuaries live out their days.
After years of abuse and mistreatment, it is time for Ringling’s animals to find peace. Help make sure Feld Entertainment does the right thing and protects every animal by sending every single one to an accredited sanctuaries!