Circus animal misuse the elephant in the room

To the Editor:

Due to nationwide protests, Ringling Brothers has retired the use of elephants in their circus, however, Indiana Animal Rights Alliance, Animal Protection Advocates and concerned citizens who know animal-free circuses can be just as fun will protest the continued use of other wild animals such as lions, tigers and bears in the Ringling Brothers Circus Dec. 1-4 at the Bankers Life Field House in Indianapolis.

Denied of home, family and freedom with no outlet for behavior appropriate for their species, wild animals, unlike domesticated animals like dogs and cats, don’t respond to positive reinforcement or instinctively seek companionship with humans. They must be manipulated by starvation, light deprivation, alienation, injury, whips, tight collars and electric probes to perform “entertaining” unnatural postures and behaviors.

Many of us were raised to think differently but now sound science tells us that animals have thoughts, feelings and the capacity to express joy, sorrow as well as experience pain and grief. Yet, like 99 percent of our farmed food animals, circus animals are confined by chains or small cages and packed into train cars or trucks for transport condemned by no fault of their own to a life solely in service of man.

Protesting the circus is a great way to change minds and hearts about the way we treat the animals. Please join this protest.

For more information: (www.INanimalrights.org), (www.circusprotest.com) and (www.peta.org/living/entertainment/animal-free-circuses)

Marian Patience Harvey

Roachdale