THE BALLOON MAN

Nearly-nude PETA protester objects to upcoming Ringling Bros. circus

Jennifer Hammer wears tiger body paint while from left to right, Sharon Wallenberg, Jennifer Wiggins, and Jim Rosa hold signs in protest of Ringling Bros. Circus use of animals in their show. Hammer sat in the cage as part of the protest.

From left to right, Jennifer Hammer wears tiger body paint while Jennifer Wiggins, Sharon Wallenberg, and Jim Rosa hold signs in protest of Ringling Bros. Circus use of animals in their show. Hammer sat in the cage as part of the protest.
By Alexandra Seltzer Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Dec. 7, 2010

WEST PALM BEACH — There was a half-naked tiger clawing at its cage in downtown West Palm Beach this afternoon protesting the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus coming to town.

That tiger was 21-year-old PETA member Jennifer Hammer, sporting panties and pasties covered by orange paint, black painted stripes, a tail and cat ears, while sitting in a 2-by-3 foot cage in front of Centennial Square.

"The animals suffer more than this," Hammer, of Broward County, said. "I don't believe animals should be used for our entertainment."

A half-dozen members of PETA, the animal rights group, gathered at the intersection of Clematis Street and North Narcissus Avenue against the circus coming to town this month for a little more than an hour, in a protest called, "The Cruelest Show on Earth?"

Tracy Patton, PETA campaign coordinator, said Hammer represents the wild animals in the circus.

She said the protest is to encourage people to find out what goes on behind the scenes with the circus animals including some "grueling tricks" and "cruel training tactics."

Janice Aria, director of animal stewardship at the Ringling Bros. said, in a phone call Tuesday afternoon, the claims against the circus are "outrageous."

"This is a 141 year obligation and privilege that we have that we invite people to see," Aria said. "Nothing was hidden."

Aria said the training tactics that PETA is against are humane and part of a training process.

Protester Linda Sartoni said she received an action alert from PETA and traveled from Jupiter to support the cause.

She brought her friend Gail Hirn, who is visiting from Arizona, along with her.

"There's always time to support rights for animals," Hirn said.

Richard Muth, of West Palm Beach, heard about the protest through Facebook, and came down to support the cause.

"People don't see what goes on behind the scenes," Muth said while observing the protest. "All they see is the glitz, the fantastic stylized vision, made for children. It's just not right in this day and age."

In the last fifteen minutes, Muth decided to grab a sign and join in the protest.

Aria said that the pictures that protesters held in the air displaying elephants tied with ropes are just a "misleading frozen moment."

"It misrepresents what actually goes on. It's unfortunate," she said.

The circus is coming to town Dec. 28 through Jan. 2 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, and starting Dec. 9, there will be a Ringling Bros. free exhibition at the Waterfront Lake Pavillion.