Topless PETA model protests circus
By EUGENE W. FIELDSTHE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: July 9, 2010
ANAHEIM – The tour stop for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is nearly three weeks away, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals were out Friday afternoon trying to make sure people don't go.The activist group staged a protest near City Hall using a chained, virtually topless model with faux wounds on her back to simulate what PETA alleges represents the cruel treatment of circus animals, specifically the Asian elephants.
"It's shocking that the circus beats the animals," said model Meggan Anderson, 25. "We have to do a shocking display to show the public."PETA spokeswoman Amanda Fortino handed out leaflets to passersby. The flyers featured photos, allegedly taken at the circus's breeding facility in Florida, of a baby elephant tied with ropes and having its legs being stretched out in different directions."Most people don't go when they see these photos," Fortino said. "They don't want to support cruelty to animals."Janice Aria, the director of Animal Stewardship for Ringling Bros., said any incidents of abuse were isolated and each allegation was thoroughly investigated. Some employees were reprimanded.
According to PETA, mistreatment of animals has led to the death of 27 elephants over the past 18 years. The organization has released undercover videos allegedly depicting elephants being beaten and shocked with electric prods and posted the footage at ringlingbeatselephants.com."We take very seriously some of these videos," said Aria, adding that none of the elephants were found to be harmed. "We went through it frame by frame with the trainers to find out why they did what they did."Aria said the circus has 54 elephants, with about one-third actually used for the travelling shows. Eleven will be used in the Anaheim shows, which run from July 28 to Aug. 8 at the Honda Center."We spend $62,000 a year per elephant for care," Aria said. "It just is incredible to me that if there's that much that goes into taking care of these animals, why would it behoove us to abuse them?"Fortino said PETA stages protests around the country wherever the circus tours."We used to just have signs, but we didn't get as much response as when we have something eye-catching," she said.Workers on their lunch breaks stopped to watch, accept fliers and snap photos. A sergeant with the Anaheim Police Department stopped and asked if Anderson was wearing pasties. The model verified that she was.Anita McCowan of Anaheim was having lunch at a table near the protest and said she didn't mind it."She's portraying how she feels,'' McCowan said of the model.
ANAHEIM – The tour stop for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is nearly three weeks away, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals were out Friday afternoon trying to make sure people don't go.The activist group staged a protest near City Hall using a chained, virtually topless model with faux wounds on her back to simulate what PETA alleges represents the cruel treatment of circus animals, specifically the Asian elephants.
"It's shocking that the circus beats the animals," said model Meggan Anderson, 25. "We have to do a shocking display to show the public."PETA spokeswoman Amanda Fortino handed out leaflets to passersby. The flyers featured photos, allegedly taken at the circus's breeding facility in Florida, of a baby elephant tied with ropes and having its legs being stretched out in different directions."Most people don't go when they see these photos," Fortino said. "They don't want to support cruelty to animals."Janice Aria, the director of Animal Stewardship for Ringling Bros., said any incidents of abuse were isolated and each allegation was thoroughly investigated. Some employees were reprimanded.
According to PETA, mistreatment of animals has led to the death of 27 elephants over the past 18 years. The organization has released undercover videos allegedly depicting elephants being beaten and shocked with electric prods and posted the footage at ringlingbeatselephants.com."We take very seriously some of these videos," said Aria, adding that none of the elephants were found to be harmed. "We went through it frame by frame with the trainers to find out why they did what they did."Aria said the circus has 54 elephants, with about one-third actually used for the travelling shows. Eleven will be used in the Anaheim shows, which run from July 28 to Aug. 8 at the Honda Center."We spend $62,000 a year per elephant for care," Aria said. "It just is incredible to me that if there's that much that goes into taking care of these animals, why would it behoove us to abuse them?"Fortino said PETA stages protests around the country wherever the circus tours."We used to just have signs, but we didn't get as much response as when we have something eye-catching," she said.Workers on their lunch breaks stopped to watch, accept fliers and snap photos. A sergeant with the Anaheim Police Department stopped and asked if Anderson was wearing pasties. The model verified that she was.Anita McCowan of Anaheim was having lunch at a table near the protest and said she didn't mind it."She's portraying how she feels,'' McCowan said of the model.
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