Stepped on by an elephant James Laurita, DVM, 56, cofounder with his brother Tom of the Hope Elephants sanctuary in Hope, Maine, was found dead in the sanctuary barn on September 9, 2014. Laurita apparently fell while working alone, and was stepped on by one of the two resident former Carson & Barnes Circus elephants, […]
Rock star Joan Jett: vegetarian animal advocate or rodeo clown?
Showing Animals Respect & Kindness has doubts CHEYENNE––Is Joan Jett of the Blackhearts a “legendary musician” who “has given her voice to animals for years,” and “attributes her great health and youthful appearance to her longtime vegetarian diet,” as PETA has it, or just a fading 57-year-old former star playing out the string on the […]
Circus lion attack calls into question the will of Peruvian authorities to enforce wildlife performance ban
Why was the circus still on the road? CUZCO, Peru––Three years after Peru officially stopped the use of wildlife in circuses, a nominally banned lion named Smith nearly killed schoolteacher Roxana Guevara Huaraca, 32, during an August 14, 2014 performance of the Monaco Circus in Santa Rosa, in the district of San Sebastian, near […]
Bull-riding sponsor Forrest Lucas forms anti-animal advocacy “Super PAC”
“Protect the Harvest,” or “Protect the Professional Bull Riders” franchise? DAVENPORT, Iowa––Why did oil magnate Forrest Lucas form Protect The Harvest, among the most aggressive and best-funded of anti-animal advocacy fronts? Perhaps it was just to protect the enormous Lucas Oil Products investment in Professional Bull Riders, Inc., whose Touring Pro Division bears the Lucas […]
Colombian constitutional court upholds circus ban
Success for Animal Defenders International BOGOTA, Colombia––The Constitutional Court of Colombia on May 14, 2014 upheld a ban on the use of wild animals, native or exotic, in circuses and traveling animal shows. The ban was approved by the Colombian Congress in June 2013. The Constitutional Court ratified an earlier verdict by magistrate Jorge Iván […]
Humane Society of the U.S. & codefendants pay Ringling Bros. circus $15.75 million
Settlement cases stemming from a lawsuit brought against Ringling over the care of elephants WASHINGTON D.C.––The Humane Society of the U.S. and codefendants “have paid Feld Entertainment, Inc., the parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, $15.75 million to settle cases stemming from a lawsuit they brought against Ringling over the […]
“Steer-tailing” is even more brutal than “horse tripping”
The California State Legislative Counsel Bureau on February 6, 2014 issued a legal opinion on “steer tailing,” a standard event in charreada, or Mexican-style rodeo. The legal opinion concludes: “To summarize, the practice of steer tailing is not prohibited per se by the animal cruelty laws (of California.) It is our opinion, however, that…a court, […]
Pat Derby founded the Performing Animal Welfare Society & ARK 2000 sanctuary
Performer turned sanctuarian Pat Derby, 69, founder of the Performing Animal Welfare Society, died from throat cancer on February 15, 2013 at her home on the ARK 2000 sanctuary she built near San Andreas, California. “Ed Stewart, her partner of 37 years, was by her side,” said the PAWS death announcement. Best seller Derby’s 1976 […]