Pages tagged "Circus"

Garden Bros. Circus

Victory: Circus Denied in West Hempstead!

In 2013, Garden Bros. Circus—then going by the name Piccadilly Circus—set up shop at The Sports Arena in St. James. LION's humane education director Juliana Cinone and long-time volunteer Tanya Bierding organized emergency demonstrations and we rushed a letter to the circus' next venue, West Hempstead's New York Equestrian Center, notifying them of Garden Bros.' pervasive abuse and neglect of animals, including new allegations of equine abuse stemming from reports filed only weeks earlier. 

Within hours, the New York Equestrian Center compassionately chose to cancel the Piccadilly Circus' planned appearances for the entire Memorial Day weekend, forcing Garden Bros.' off Long Island. This decision proved itself to be wise as well as compassionate not long thereafter when Piccadilly Circus manager Zachary Garden was cited numerous times for violations of the Animal Welfare Act originating from these very same allegations.

Although Garden Bros. Circus has not toured Long Island since we sent them packing in 2013, Garden Bros.' exhibitors continue to exploit animals around the country, racking up citation after citation. The USDA has cited Garden Bros. Circus exhibitors for forcibly striking an elephant with a bullhook and for failing to provide adequate veterinary care, to provide adequate and safe enclosures, to handle animals in a way that does not cause unnecessary stress or trauma, to provide wholesome and uncontaminated food, to provide shelter from the elements, and to provide environmental enrichment.

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