PETA Uses Celebrity and Years-Old Video to Distort Ringling Bros. Animal Care

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Mar 16, 2012, 06:00 ET

VIENNA, Va., March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PETA's latest attempt to use a celebrity and edited years-old video, to distort Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's commitment to proper animal management and care is difficult to take seriously by a Federally licensed exhibitor. PETA, which tragically kills over 90 percent of the animals it "takes in," according to recently released statistics from the Virginia Department of Agriculture, is using our current tour in the New York City area to promote their radical agenda.

In its most recent compilation, PETA edits old, and in many cases altered footage, includes footage from an unrelated circus, and combines it all with the opinions of a veterinarian who has never actually physically examined any Ringling Bros. elephant. No elephants were intended to be nor were they harmed in the video snippets shown. In short, PETA knows nothing about what it takes to care for an elephant.

"Our animal care programs rival the best in the world," said Janice Aria, Director of Animal Stewardship for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, "Zoos and other facilities regularly seek out Ringling Bros. veterinarians for advice and assistance because of the quality of our exotic animal care."

Everyone with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is very proud of our human and animal partnerships. Our animal care staff devotes their lives to our animals. The physical and behavioral needs of our animal performers are a top priority that can be seen in every city we visit. We train through a system of repetition and reward, and elephants and horses are transported in custom built, specially-designed train cars. The health and vitality of our animals is something we can and do showcase at every Ringling Bros. performance.

In addition to our daily commitment to providing the very best in animal care, Ringling Bros. is dedicated to preserving the endangered Asian elephant at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation. This unique facility was specifically designed for the research, reproduction, and retirement of the Asian elephant and enables Ringling Bros. to share its elephant husbandry knowledge with veterinary and conservation organizations around the world, including experts in elephants' range countries. This is a major step for the conservation of this endangered species.

Rather than take what an extremist group like PETA says at face value, we've asked Mr. Baldwin to come see for himself what millions of families know: that all the animals are thriving at The Greatest Show On Earth.

About Feld Entertainment: Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!

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