No joy in seeing enslaved animals

As usual Mr. Plantier is using the boiler plate propaganda from the national animal extremists website. To learn more out this group go to: www.petakillsanimals.com or www.consumerfreedom.com website. There you will learn about what they stand for. Do they really care for the animals we all love? Go to these two websites,then decide .
The circus has come to Dalton for this our 16th year. For the last 15 years the local.state and national animal control officers has inspected the animals and no violations have been found. I own a cat and dog who I love very much. I spend countless hours at the circus to insure everything runs right. I would never allow any animal to be abused.
If Mr. Plasntier and the local animal rights group does not want to go to the circus that is their right. IT IS TIME for them to stop trying to force their beliefs on others. Times have changed-it is not like it may have been YEARS AGO.
I invite you and your group, again, to meet Tuesday at noon with those that care for their companions 24 hours a day. Ask them questions, respectfully, see and observe how the animals they care for are treated. You have my number -call me to arrange this meeting.
To those attending the circus- respect those protesting. That is what we do allow in America , unlike other countries.
Thank everyone for supporting our circus program all these years. The circus is the one true family attraction left for families to enjoy. It has never been rated X and is for children of all ages!!
Long Live The Circus!!

I would like to encourage all parents to NOT force their children to attend the circus..
Parents who make their children attend the Circus are forcing the belief on their own children that it is acceptable to steal animals out of Native Habitats for the purpose of making money..
Circus promoters are forcing their beliefs on this Community by plastering the City with Circus posters, for the purpose of enticing children with the thrill of recreation at the harm of animal life and the waste of precious resources...

Last year my friend took her
two young daughters to the Circus .
They cried through almost the whole performance..

I believe thet cried because the pain and sadness endured by the animals, especially the elephants, permeates the tent space, and all of the attendees hearts..I wish this venue would cease to exist..
and that the animals would be set free..

Katherine: No animals have been brought into the United states for over 30 years. Their natural habitant is vastly shrinking as man takes over there land. Elephants and tigers are killed in their natural habitant for their ivory. Thankfully their is many breeding programs in the world and the US to save the tigers and elephants from extinction .
Katherine-as usual you respond to a lot of the "Letters to the Editor" Expounding your views ,which you have a right to do, but most time you ramble on and on without fully knowing about the subjest you are responding to.
I am the one who put the posters up-not the circus. This program supports our sight and hearing programs and many other community programs we help out with. The circus has become a very well attend event supporyted by the community. If you do not want to go to the circus that is your right- think before you right-get the facts.

I agree with Mr. Plantiers letter..
Whether or not the animals Ringling Brothers uses have recently been brought to the States or were born in captivity makes no difference to me.
The animals have a natural desire to be free, to be safe from abuse and to roam long distances..
The Circus would make more people happy if they walked the animals to various Circus venue locations instead of transporting them by rail.
You people can't seem to find happiness unless money is changing hands..
Happiness, entertainment, can be had by children and families without elslaving and beating animals into submission..

DAN wrote:

I am the one who put the posters up-not the circus. This program supports our sight and hearing programs and many other community programs we help out with..

Hearing programs for those who were born deaf or for older people who are hard of hearing because of the Music Business, which also enslaves performers, keeps music behind closed doors, only to be enjoyed if money changes hands?

Scott Plantier's letter concerning circus animals is an outrageous lie. Mr. Plantier has allowed animal "rights" extremists to invade his mind, and probably his pocket book. He regurgitates fiction from the web sites of the extremists who prey upon a gullible public to fuel their profitable business.

Who among us does not love animals??

The circus railroad cars Plantier refers to are like traveling RV's for animals. They are temperature and humidity controled. Most Circus animals enjoy retirement I can never hope for. Medical care is 100% covered. Is yours? Mine sure is not!

Plantier says animals are shot in canned shoots following their circus careers. I don't know of ONE circus person who would allow the animal members of their family into the hands of such an operation.

The circus is my life long hobby. I know many of the animals and their human families by name. I see them frequently on the road, and off the road, and during practice sessions. I base what I say upon factual information from experts and upon what I see with my own eyes.

Plantier's information is based on fictitious internet propaganda. He is ill informed.

See you at the circus!

I have been a circus fan for over 40 years and see dozens of different circuses WITH ANIMALs every year - more circuses than Mr. Plantier has probably seen in his lifetime! What is Mr. Plantier talking about? Travel non-stop 12,000? Hardly. The animals travel comfortably in protective cages (like seat belts!) for the short hops & then spend their time at the next town in indoor or tented quarters, never in railroad cars. They lead more comfortable lives than many of our fellow citizens! They perform tricks that are natural to each of their species. They bond with their trainers who devote their lives to the animals' care and maintenance. I suggest that Mr Plantier go & see the circus for himself, not just view the prejudiced websites. He will hear the children squeal with delight as the healthy animals perform.

professor wrote:

<quoted text>
You are hopeless brainless moron. To compare the circus with socialist Hitler's concentration camps??? Do not try to scare me -it make me very nerves when such worms like you say something like that. You are the super idiot with sick mind!!! I see it the first time in my life, though I saw quite a few idiots.

Bill, This "professor" guy has some serious stability issues. I wouldn't bother trying to make a rational discussion with someone who has lost the ability to be rational.

I am a senior citizen and have been going to circuses all my life. I have never seen any sign of abuse of animals in the circus. In fact the animals are part of the owners family. The trainers and attendants make sure the animals are fed, watered and made comfortable each morning before they eat their own breakfast. I hope the media, including the Berkshire Eagle will publish the circus side of the issue before confeming animals in the circus.
Can you even imaging that a trainor/owner would abuse an extremely expensive animal that in many cases can not be replaced because they are an endangered species and can not be imported into the USA ? Would you think that he would in any way hurt a creature that is his sole means of making a living.
Also, do you know the strength of an elephant ? The elephant can walk away any time it wants to pulling the chain and the steak right out of the ground. He can smash his way out of any truck or railroad car where he is confined with no effort whatsoever. He is there because he wants to be; because he is loved and well taken care of.

As far as being forced to stand on only his hind legs, that like all of the other "tricks" an elephant does are just an enhancement of their natural behavior. Elephants in the wild stand on their hind legs all the time to reach the foliage up higher on the trees which they like to eat.

People, be realistic. Do some investigating before listening to the distorted rantings of animal activists who have a hidden agenda that you wouldn't even believe if I were to tell you about it.

Leave the animals alone in the circus. They like it there, and 99% of the public enjoy seeing their grace, strength and intelligence on display in the circus.

Lets see... Then its better to have them left in the wild where they can be torn apart by other predators or left to starve or hunted by poachers, specifically the endangered list group, instead of being well cared for, well fed and allowed to breed so they won´t become extinct?
we´re are in a ¨wonderful world of stuff¨..aah yes, materialistic consumerism. Better to go to a concert of cross dressing perverts on drugs than to see a family oriented circus. What a horrible childhood Scott Plantier must have had.
Shame on his parents for not correcting him.
So many evil things going on in the World and the best that the Berkshire Eagle can come up with is Circus Bashing.

I was a circus fan at age 16, I am 65 now,
I was an accountant for Ringling Bros at an early
age and have been in the offices of many shows.
There is no more caring individuals than animal
owners and presenters. I have known the Hannefords for 40 years, they own three asian elephants and these elephants are well cared for.
They stop on every trip more than once to air and
feed the elephants. My wife and I had a dog act.
These dogs slept in their own bedroom with a tile
floor unencumbered by any cages. At our Florida
home not only did they have their own room but full run of the yard and house and I don't need some liberal idiots probably funded by ACORN telling us what and how animals should be treated
when they can't see the forest for the trees.
Circus people love and respect their animals and it is time that the PETA people and others like them are stopped. They are simply trying to push their selfish agendas and ruin the way of life of
good honest people.

Scott you are very mis informed as to the life of animals in general and elephants in particular. If you have a pet, you take good care of your pet. The same is true in the circus and the pets sometimes do tricks just like maybe your dog or cat.

Elephants nor any other animals travel for 12 hours at a time. Again a piece of incorrect information. When in travel, they have water and feed stops just like ones for your spouse or kids.

Take a kid to the circus and see the animals yourself. They are well cared for by Cole Bros. Circus.

Thanks for listening.

Please do not waste bandwith on some article you cut and pasted, for the real story on animal extremists go to www.petakillsanimals.com It is time for the vocal minority to be quiet or the silent majority to step up to the plate.

This is America, we do not need to bow to every left wing extremist with a computer or protest sign. Why is it that whenever I see a circus, there are thousands of circus goers on any particular night and a handful, or maybe 20-30 paid by PETA protesters?

Mr. Plantier obviously knows nothing about performing animals. He is only parroting the disinformation of the animal rights folks, who also know nothing about it, but have no problem making it up, because it is all about the money for them. They don't really care about circus animals, or any other animal for that matter, they care about the money they can generate with their propaganda.
The “canned hunts” reference is the most outrageous thing I have heard yet. It is absolute total lie.
I feel sorry for any child with parents so blind to the truth that they would not take the child to see a circus because it had animals. They are missing out on a truly memorable experience.
There are many wonderful, talented people who work in circuses and care for these animals. I know because I have known many of them personally.

Here in Australia the popularity of classical circuses with animals continues to grow. Our paid audiences are now approximately equal to those who go to the opera, or the ballet,or to soccer or to rugby union.
And we do not receive, nor ask for, any Government support or subsidy.
We are a democracy so we accept opposition from activists - but they a small minority of the total population.
Executive Secretary,
Circus Federation of Australia Inc.
www.circusfed.org.au

Circus - Culture for the Millions.

DAN wrote:

As usual Mr. Plantier is using the boiler plate propaganda from the national animal extremists website. To learn more out this group go to: www.petakillsanimals.com or www.consumerfreedom.com website. There you will learn about what they stand for. Do they really care for the animals we all love? Go to these two websites,then decide .
The circus has come to Dalton for this our 16th year. For the last 15 years the local.state and national animal control officers has inspected the animals and no violations have been found. I own a cat and dog who I love very much. I spend countless hours at the circus to insure everything runs right. I would never allow any animal to be abused.
If Mr. Plasntier and the local animal rights group does not want to go to the circus that is their right. IT IS TIME for them to stop trying to force their beliefs on others. Times have changed-it is not like it may have been YEARS AGO.
I invite you and your group, again, to meet Tuesday at noon with those that care for their companions 24 hours a day. Ask them questions, respectfully, see and observe how the animals they care for are treated. You have my number -call me to arrange this meeting.
To those attending the circus- respect those protesting. That is what we do allow in America , unlike other countries.
Thank everyone for supporting our circus program all these years. The circus is the one true family attraction left for families to enjoy. It has never been rated X and is for children of all ages!!
Long Live The Circus!!

I can't wait for the circus to come to town. I look forward to watching the circus master beat the crap put of the elephant with a baseball bat.Maybe he might also beat the crap out of the liberal crackpots who picket out front.

Mr. Plantier needs to make a visit Norfolk, Va and his organizations headquarters. Check their records and see how many thousands of dogs and cats they put to sleep last year instead of finding homes for these animals. Check the huge salaries, the plush offices, and their books. Your contribution dollars are spent on these beautiful office buildings, salaries, and propaganda productions. Tax records will show these expenses well over 90% of their income. I'll use my dollar to feed the circus animal who is taken care of with great love and understanding. Let the local animal people spend a morning in the backyard of a circus and see how these animals are constantly taken care of. Statistic - wild animals life expectancy is shortest in the wild, longer in zoos because of medical care and proper diet, longest in the circus because of the previous two items and exercise.

See you at the circus!
Carl

How does Mr. Plantier know this? I'll tell you...from the propoganda of money making machines like PETA. Ask yourself this, has he traveled on a circus, has he spent tiime around elephant handlers, does he know "first hand" what he talking about. Albeit the answer is no.
Elephants live longer in captivity, they have access to vets, they dont scrounge for food, more than that...they are loved and they know it. I've been in the circus 25 years and have yet to see first hand any animal being abused.
I would suggest, Mr. Plantier, spending time at a circus and not on the internet before you make comments that your show your ignorance.
Alexis Kaiser

P.S. Just like your dogs and cats at home, Circus Animals enjoy their interactions with their human conterparts

I have been a circus fan for over 60 years and during that time I have gotten to know a lot of circus animal people. I know they treat their animals like one of their family. Why would you mistreat an elephant worth hundreds of thousands of dollars?