Circus animal abuse

Human circus performers go on willingly, but elephants have to be cruelly beaten and electrically prodded to go out and perform totally unnatural acts for a few minutes of entertainment. Animal abuse in circuses has been well documented, with a major circus recently having been fined the largest ever of its kind in the U.S. by the USDA/AWA for violations.

Elephants live in constant fear from the violent training tactics used, and they suffer out of the public eye by being constantly chained in traveling box cars, or in a basement -- which for animals that normally travel much of the day is physically and mentally abusive. Other exotic animals suffer much of the same fate for their entire lifetimes. If you have compassion for the wonderful creatures we share this planet with, ask yourself if watching abused elephants is family entertainment and then please support human performer circuses only.

Thank you.

LISA WALKER, Cape Girardeau