Pictures.... finally

Okay folks, here are the pictures from the protest!!! (Click on them for a larger view)

Phase two: keep it in the media!

We need everyone's help on this one. As you know, the media has enormous power to sway public opinion. So that the issue of Ringling Bros' Circus abuses stay as high profile as possible, we need as many people as possible to write letters to the editor of the Salisbury Daily Times. Here's the info:

The Daily Times welcomes letters on a single, issue-related subject. All letters are subject to editing for brevity and clarity. Letters will be limited to 250 words in length. Longer letters will not be printed. Writers must include full name, community of residence and daytime phone number for verification. Guest commentaries will be solicited from newsmakers on timely topics of interest, based on feedback and interest. Unsolicited commentaries will be handled as letters and be limited to 250 words. The editor reserves the right to reject any letter. Thank-you letters appear in Sunday’s ShoreLife section and should be sent to Community News Editor Cindy Robinson.

Grapevine is a reader opinion column that features brief comments and opinions submitted by Daily Times readers. Grapevine appears daily at the top of the Op-Ed page and online, where selected comments are published each day. The editor selects comments for publication based on reader interest, timeliness, balance in topics and viewpoints. You do not need to submit your name or other personal information, and doing so will not affect the decision to print or not to print your comments. Comments will be limited to 100 words or less.

Mailing Address:115 East Carroll StreetSalisbury, MD 21801
Switchboard:(410) 749-7171

For more information about Ringling Brothers and the abuse of their animals, check out our previous postings and Circuses.com for more detailed accounts.

If you do send in a letter, please send a copy of it to info@suvsa.org. THANKS!!!!

USDA to investigate Ringling Bros. Circus!!!!

I heard back from the USDA rep. in Raleigh, NC yesterday and was told that an investigator would be sent out as soon as we could get a written report in. The report was literally just faxed 5 minutes ago. Click here to see a copy

Also, if you didn't hear about the zebras escaping yesterday from the Ringling circus in Baltimore, here's the news feed from the Associated Press:

Zebras make brief escape in Baltimore

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Three zebras from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus briefly escaped from their downtown venue on Thursday but were quickly corralled by their trainer and two handlers.

The zebras - Mali, Giza and Lima - spotted an open door at the 1st Mariner Arena and dashed into traffic on Hopkins Place, but were rounded up half a block away.

Carrie Coleman, a veterinary technician for the circus, told The (Baltimore) Sun it was a frightening incident because the animals were in traffic lanes before returning to the sidewalk.

"They may have thought they were headed home," she said, adding that the zebras were not hurt.

The same three zebras, plus a fourth, made a similar escape in June during the circus' visit to Colorado Springs, Colo.

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The protesters of that show, the lovely Baltimore Animal Rights Coalition, worked with PETA, who also wrote a letter to the USDA. Here's the link to that one. This circus is really coming under pressure....

Look, mom - I'm on the news!

The VSA was featured on both local news stations, WBOC and WMDT. Thanks to our VP Karina, we were able to get both of them up on Youtube! Check it out:

Elephants off limits!

Michael and I went back today to see if the conditions for the animals had changed any. Boy, did they! I'll explain the pictures, since it may be hard to see.... they are of the same area as yesterday's blog - only now, there are additional trailers and fencing blocking the animals' enclosure.

There were also other cages set up across from these, but it's unclear who they were keeping in them. We couldn't get back there to look because one of their employees (I'm guessing) was blocking the area off with his car.

I want to also make note that the current temperature is 46 degrees, and with wind gusts of up to 40 mph, it really feels like 38 degrees (Fahrenheit, of course).

I'm getting on the phone with the USDA as we speak to report that there is not adequate room for the animals, they don't have access to food and water (they really don't) and it's much too cold for them. I'll be sure to update on what happens.

Poor, caged animals.....

I drove over to the civic center this evening to see if I could see them unloading the animals or setting up. It turns out we missed it.... They did however, have the animals outside in cages, with a small tarp over them.

Now, for those of you who didn't know, Zebras are members of the horse family that live in Africa. They can be found in a wide range of habitats, including grasslands, savannas, woodlands, mountains and coastal hills.

zebras and Plains zebras live in groups, known as 'harems', consisting of one stallion with up to sixAccording to the ever-knowledgeable wikipedia, "Like most members of the horse family, zebras are highly sociable. Their social structure, however, depends on the species. Mountain mares and their foals. Bachelor males either live alone or with groups of other bachelors until they are old enough to challenge a breeding stallion. When attacked by packs of hyenas or wild dogs, a zebra group will huddle together with the foals in the middle while the stallion tries to ward them off."

Clearly these are very social animals.... not ones to be locked up in a cage, only able to look at each other through the bars that separate them.

Next to the zebras, I was able to catch a glimpse of one of the elephants they brought. (please excuse the low fidelity of the pictures - we had to be careful not to use flash, so they're a little blurry.) This poor elephant, one that would normally also be found in Africa, was chained by two legs. She was rocking back and forth constantly - a tell-tale sign of extreme boredom. She would have been pacing, but that wasn't an option. I took a short video of it and stuck it up on Youtube. What a terrible, terrible shame...

Ringling Brothers

That's right, kiddies! We'll be protesting the Cruelest Show on Earth. Ringling Brothers Circus will be coming to the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center March 20-24 (that's Thursday through Monday) and the VSA plans to protest at every show.

We're working close with PETA on this one, so it should be a good showing. In fact, they just sent out the press release, so we'll stick up a new post with any media we get - and, of course, pictures!

Just a reminder to anyone out there - PLEASE don't go to any circus that uses animals! Any money you pay them will only go to further the torture their animals endure. For more information, check out circuses.com.