Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus to retire all elephants in May

It's about time.

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/34560-ringling-circus-elephants-to-retire-in-may

Sounds good except they are being sent to the Ringling Brother's sanctuary where they will be chained up at night and still pushed around by bullhooks. I don't know how to paste a link. 

Looks like several animal rights groups (including ASPCA and Humane Society) had to pay Feld Entertainment $16M for falsely accusing them of animal abuse. Turns out the groups paid handlers to lie about how animals were treated. So, I wouldn't be so quick to assume the conditions in the elephant sanctuary are inhumane. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/ringling-circus-prevails-in-14-year-legal-case-collects-16m-from-humane-society-others/2014/05/16/50ce00b8-dd15-11e3-8009-71de85b9c527_story.html

It's probably not PC to say this, but I will admit I'm a little sad. I always loved the circus as a kid and the elephant acts were so cool to see. I totally get the animal rights concerns and I'm glad it's being resolved, but it was really a treat to see those amazing animals live.

I feel the same way TH

I think I loved the pageantry best of all. The costumes and the color. If it becomes wild animal free, I'm going to run out and buy a ticket.

As a kid I hounded my mother asking where the animals lived when they weren't in the ring. She gave up taking me.

Ignorance is bliss

Folks mights find the movie "One Lucky Elephant" interesting, about Flora, the namesake of Circus Flora.

im so glad to hear this   

There are reports claiming a class-action suit being brought by the elephants, claiming their pension is peanuts...

Meanwhile, global elephant populations are vanishing thanks to a thriving black market in ivory...

-s.

Ignorance is bliss, indeed.

A baby elephant at the sanctuary. Sigh