Despite online raucous, just two protest circus
Linda Brenneman hands out pamphlets calling attention to allegations of animal abuse by handlers of the Carson and Barnes Circus on Thursday at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
from: sheridanpress.com
by Paolo Cisneros
May 31, 2013
SHERIDAN — As a steady rain fell over the county fairgrounds Thursday evening, a pair of concerned Sheridan residents stood ankle deep in mud distributing fliers to hurried crowds as they rushed for cover from the elements.
While most had descended on the area to attend the final local performance of the Carson and Barnes Circus, Rachael Petsoff and Linda Brenneman were there to call attention to allegations of animal abuse by the company.
“I came out to support animals because they can’t talk (for themselves),” Petsoff said. “If anybody abused my child like that, I’d be livid.”
In the days leading up to the circus, a video posted by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals appearing to show a Carson and Barnes trainer using blowtorches and electric prods on elephants was widely circulated on several Sheridan-area Facebook pages.
Heated exchanges followed, but Petsoff and Brenneman said they weren’t interested in judging those who decided to attend the event.
Rather, they hoped to encourage people to consider whether animal acts such as circuses are ever a humane form of entertainment.
“We’re not pressuring anybody,” Petsoff said.
While a handful of people made a point of destroying the pamphlets and throwing them in the mud, most quickly accepted the literature before continuing inside.
In regards to those select few who made no secret of their distaste for Petsoff and Brenneman’s message, Petsoff said they had been anticipating a certain level of backlash.
“What can you do?” she asked.
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