4 min read After Years Of Protests, Ringling Bros. Finally Takes The Hint [Updated]

UPDATE: After publication, The Dodo heard from Stephen Payne of Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling Bros. Payne says that Ringling's departure from the Pacific Northwest "had nothing to do with animal protests." He adds: "Our Gold Unit that tours that area is closing (nothing to do with animals or misguided protests) and we cannot route a train into that area without additional planning (it's easier to route a show that travels by truck, our Gold unit, than the larger units)." People aren't going to the circus anymore, so the circus isn't coming to them. "We don't have any tours currently scheduled to return to the Pacific Northwest," Stephen Payne, the vice president of communications for Feld Entertainment Inc., which owns Ringling Bros., told The Herald."This might be the last time for a while."

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Animal lovers are calling the circus's (quiet) announcement a cause for celebration. For years, people have been taking a stand against using endangered and exotic animals for human entertainment, even kids, for whom circuses were once a childhood staple. "Elephants are so tired of being bullhooked every day of their lives when they do not obey. They are so tired." one young protester on the West Coast shouted out recently. "Since animals have no voice, what are they supposed to do?" Luckily, animal lovers have lent their voices to those who can't speak up. "Ringling Bros. must be as tired of the constant protests as the public is tired of seeing elephants beaten with bullhooks, weapons that resemble fireplace pokers with a sharp hook on one end, which Ringling uses to force elephants to obey out of fear of punishment," PETA Foundation ocunsel Rachel Mathews told The Dodo in a press release.

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While Ringling has already caved to public pressure by agreeing to get the elephants out of its shows by 2018, this latest announcement is cause for celebration. "[T]his latest nail in its coffin is further proof that today's public is turning its back on businesses that exploit animals," Mathews said, "from Ringling's tawdry elephant sideshows to SeaWorld's cruel orca prisons." Let's hope this means Ringling's traveling shitshow is slowing down for good.