[GhostUser]

The Ringling Bros. Circus is coming to Pittsburgh next week. If you're in the area, PLEASE join us in protesting and leafletting. The main protest is on OPENING NIGHT: November 1 at 6:00 PM!!

Please read this fact sheet about Ringling Bros. circus: http://circuses.com/pdfs/RinglingFactsheet.pdf

Email cross-posted with permission.

Quote:

Hello,

How are you? I hope this e-mail finds you well. I just wanted to let you know about an upcoming protest because you're on PETA's Activist Network for the Pittsburgh area. Local PETA activists and Voices for Animals will be protesting the Ringling Bros. Circus in Pittsburgh starting next week. It would be great if you could come out to help speak up for the animals! As usual, we'll have all the materials, so just bring yourself and anyone else you'd like to have attend. I've included the details below for you:

When:

Wednesday, November 1:

6:00 PM-7:30 PM

Thursday, November 2:

9:45 AM-10:45 AM and 6:45 PM-7:45 PM

Friday, November 3:

6:45 PM-7:45 PM

Saturday, November 4:

10:45 AM-11:45 AM, 2:45 PM-3:45 PM, and 6:45 PM-7:45 PM

Sunday, Nov. 5:

12:15 PM-1:15 PM and 4:15 PM-5:15 PM

Where: Please meet opposite the Centre Avenue side of the arena, near the main entrance.

Why: See for yourself here.

Please contact our local organizer, Candice, at [email protected] or call their voicemail at 1-877-321-4VFA if you have further questions about this protest. And please cross-post this message, the Web site, and the video clip to others who may be interested in joining the fight against Ringling! For more information on this campaign, please visit Circuses.com.

Please remember to dress appropriately for this event (for example, nice jeans or cords without holes). During these protests, we'd like to keep our message focused on the fact that animals need our help-not on our own personal wardrobe choices. It is important for circusgoers to take us seriously, so we have to try to appeal and relate to them as much as possible. Even if it means wearing something that you wouldn't normally wear, it's just for an hour or two, and you'll be doing it to help animals. Also, we never know when the media will show up! Also, if possible, please leave your sweet companion animals (dogs, cats, etc) at home for this.

Thanks so much for everything that you do for animals! PETA is thankful that you're on the Activist Network, and we encourage you to take full advantage of the network by contacting us anytime with questions, requests, or concerns! There are many great ways to support PETA's unique work to help animals. One of the most important is to make a financial donation today. We rely on donations from caring and kind-hearted people like you who make it possible for us to fight for animal rights. Please make a secure online donation by clicking here.

With thanks from those without voices,

Stephanie Wood, Activist Liaison

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

[email protected] | 757-962-8247

Get Active for Animals! http://www.AnimalActivist.com

Meet Me on MySpace here: http://www.MySpace.com/AnimalsAreNotOurs

Watch our latest undercover footage! http://www.butterballcruelty.com

Please make a secure donation today: https://ebiz.isiservices.com/peta-e/..._code=I03A9L0A

* Please include our entire correspondence when replying.

 

[GhostUser]

Bus directions:

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If you are taking the bus, just about any bus that goes downtown will take you to the arena, such as the 71A, 71C, 71D, 500, 61A, 61B, 61C, and the 81A, B, and C stop on Centre Avenue at the Mellon Arena. If you would like to bus down together with Voices for Animals, meet in front of the 5th Avenue side of the William Pitt Union in Oakland at 5:15 PM.

 

[jenna]

Good luck with it, VJ!

 

[GhostUser]

Thanks, jenna!

 

[Aimra]

Wish I could come. Its a bit too far though. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[GhostUser]

You can be there in spirit.

Thank you, and I will update on how it goes! I may have pictures, too.

 

[go_vegan]

bit far for me to ( I am in UK lol) but good luck anyway.

The past 3m I have been protesting outside a circus going around a 50mile radius of where I live as they have animals aswell.

Some ideas for banners for you all, that we made:

ANIMAL ABUSE ON TOUR

CRUELTY IS NOT ENTERTAINMENT

BOYCOTT SLAVERY

CIRCUSES ARE NO PLACE FOR ANIMALS

BOYCOTT THIS ANIMAL ABUSING CIRCUS

There is also this t-shirt which I have that I wear to each demo :

http://animalrightstuff.com/Merchant...egory_Code=SSI

People here get posters taken down from shop windows/ lamp posts and anywhere else they see any, and take the discount tickets .

I have heard of times when people go into shops etc and claim to be from the circus and say that its now cancelled so we are taking back our posters etc, that usually works,until the circus clue on to this lol, or we just point out the amount of cruelty involved and sometimes we get positve results and the posters are removed.

If you can get hold of leaflets from anti circus charities in the USA and get leaflets and when the circus are coming or already in town, organise a time where you can leaflet in the near by area/town basically handing out leaflets to people in the town/city centre.

We also got hold of a small cage and put a soft toy inside it representing one of the animals in the circus, and it was holding a banner saying " please don't let them hurt me anymore" .

GOOD LUCK .

 

[GhostUser]

Thank you so much!! Thanks for all that great advice and suggestions!!

 

[GhostUser]

Bumping this one last time...

PROTEST TONIGHT!!

Last year's turnout was 40-50, we hope to have more this year!! Wish us luck!

 

[GhostUser]

I just got back from the protest! Everything went well, no one got hurt, and no one was arrested. I'm sorry that I don't have any pictures right now, but someone from the group had a video camera, so I may have footage soon if anyone's interested.

We had a great turnout - about 30-40 is my guess. We had HUGE signs and a large banner. We were all lined up, in the cold and freezing rain, right in front of the main entrance to the Mellon arena.

This was a very new experience for me, so I didn't know what to expect. I was called names and yelled at, and some people told me to "get a life" and "shut up." But I stayed strong. We made our voices heard for those animals who cannot be heard, and that's what is important. It was a very powerful experience for me, and I even broke down and cried at the end when we were finished. Looking in the eyes of the children and seeing their faces as their mouths dropped at our signs broke my heart.

To take Diana's words, I know a lot of seeds were planted today, and I hope that more people consider staying home next time the circus comes to town and eventually the circus disappears.

 

[Aimra]

That is awesome. I wish people would open their eyes!

But like you said, you have planted a seed. Hopefully they make the right choice next time.

 

[GhostUser]

Yeah, it's tough having people say right to your face "I DON'T CARE, GET A LIFE, I'M GOIN TO THE CIRCUS NOW" after you say "Baby elephants and other animals have died under Ringling Bros. care."

People didn't care that they're under investigation by the USDA, they don't care that trainers shot a tiger 5 times til he died, they don't care that the animals are kept in cages and chains, they don't care that animals are taken from their natural habitats. It's disgusting.

 

[Sevenseas]

Good for you for protesting

 

[GhostUser]

Hey, thank you. That means a lot to me.

 

[peace]

Ringling is coming to my area this season as well. Could you tell me if they keep the elephants and other animals outside while they are not performing?

This time of year, it would seem awfully cold to keep them out. Just curious.

 

[GhostUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by peace

Ringling is coming to my area this season as well. Could you tell me if they keep the elephants and other animals outside while they are not performing?

This time of year, it would seem awfully cold to keep them out. Just curious.

Yes.

There were lots and lots and lots of tents and trailers outside the arena. I saw white horses and zebras being escorted out of some of them, so I know for sure that animals are kept there. Even in the 40 degree (F) weather. It's going to be even colder this weekend - down to 30 degrees at night.

 

[Irizary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by veggiejanie

I was called names and yelled at, and some people told me to "get a life"...

I like to say, "This is my life."

 

[GhostUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irizary

I like to say, "This is my life."

Good comeback! I was on the verge of crying and couldn't think of anything to say.

 

[peace]

Since the animals are held outdoors, do you think it would be possible for me to view or photograph the condition of the animals (from a distance of course)?

Or are there big blockades up to prevent curious eyes from viewing the animals?

I've photographed the "parking-lot" conditions at two rinky-dink travelling circuses but I realize Ringling has far more assets and resources at their disposal.

 

[GhostUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by peace

Since the animals are held outdoors, do you think it would be possible for me to view or photograph the condition of the animals (from a distance of course)?

Or are there big blockades up to prevent curious eyes from viewing the animals?

I've photographed the "parking-lot" conditions at two rinky-dink travelling circuses but I realize Ringling has far more assets and resources at their disposal.

You may be able to. The tents and trailers were in very close range, right next to the sidewalk and parking lot for the arena. If I had a camera, I might have been able to get decent pictures of the inside of the tents - there were small areas where I could see through, but there weren't any animals inside.

ETA: I'm calling them tents, but they were really big, not like camping tents.