Famed Ringling Brothers Circus closing

[herdfan06]

(CNN)Ringling Brothers Circus is closing down after more than 100 years in operation, according to a press release from Feld Entertainment, which has owned the circus for the last 50 years.

"I have made the difficult business decision that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® will hold its final performances in May of this year," CEO Kenneth Feld said.
High operating costs and the decline of ticket sales "made the circus an unsustainable business for the company," Feld said.
And after "the transition of the elephants off the road, we saw an even more dramatic drop" in ticket sales, Feld said.
For years, the elephants and their dance routines featured prominently in the shows.

But several animal rights groups repeatedly criticized, picketed and sued Ringling Bros. for their treatment of the animals.
In 2011, Feld Entertainment agreed to pay a fine of $270,000 to the US Department of Agriculture for alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
The company did not admit wrongdoing but promised to implement new training for all personnel who handle animals.
Ringling Brothers was founded in Baraboo, Wisconsin in 1884 by five of the seven Ringling brothers.
The family ran the circus until 1967 when it was sold to Feld Entertainment, according to the the Wisconsin Historical Society.

 

[raleighherdfan]

When will Obummer take credit for this??

 

[wisemaniac]

When you're a kid, the ignorance of what those animals endure makes it magical. When you're an adult, you realize how unfair it is to do that elephants & lions. I used to enjoy zoos too until I learned how they get the animals - & how much space they actually should have.

 

[herdfan06]

When you're a kid, the ignorance of what those animals endure makes it magical. When you're an adult, you realize how unfair it is to do that elephants & lions. I used to enjoy zoos too until I learned how they get the animals - & how much space they actually should have.

You are turning into a flaming liberal.

 

[i am herdman]

I enjoy zoos and the circus.I never felt bad for the animals if the were not being abused.

I think being held in a major zoo would be better than being in the wild a d being eaten and looking for food.

This is just another case of.political correctness

We have ufc fighting but people for sorry for a damn zebra. Go figure

 

[wisemaniac]

If two consenting adults want to fight, f*ck, or get effed up, that's entirely up to them. Frankly, I love violence. But not wanting to support putting huge, highly intelligent animals under glass for entertainment isn't PC, it's being a decent person.

 

[Herd Fever]

Wow now every form of change is called Political correctness now.

They treated the animals like shit just like Sea World

 

[GK4Herd]

The treatment of animals should never be a political issue. It's a right/wrong issue and opposing the mistreatment of animals should not label you a liberal. By forcing right/wrong issues through the filter of political ideology we force people to view it in a way of, "which way support my chosen political agenda?" rather than which way supports human decency.

 

[ThunderCat98]

Good. I hate zoos and circuses.

 

[i am herdman]

If two consenting adults want to fight, f*ck, or get effed up, that's entirely up to them. Frankly, I love violence. But not wanting to support putting huge, highly intelligent animals under glass for entertainment isn't PC, it's being a decent person.

Would you rather be a zebra in Disney world or a zebra getting chased by lions?

Highly intelligent? I am not for abusing them at all. But if they are being treated well.then they don't know the difference.

The animals in a good zoo are treated pretty well.

I guess we should have never domesticated dogs and bread themachine for own entertainment. Poor dogs locked up in a house and we castrate them.

 

[i am herdman]

The treatment of animals should never be a political issue. It's a right/wrong issue and opposing the mistreatment of animals should not label you a liberal. By forcing right/wrong issues through the filter of political ideology we force people to view it in a way of, "which way support my chosen political agenda?" rather than which way supports human decency.

Are big zoos mistreating animals? Is animal kingdom at Disney mistreating animals?

 

[GK4Herd]

Are big zoos mistreating animals? Is animal kingdom at Disney mistreating animals?

I have no clue.

 

[Walden Pond]

I say to hell with the whole deal and just hold a Friday night chicken fight at the top of Oak Hill.

 

[Herd Fever]

Would you rather be a zebra in Disney world or a zebra getting chased by lions?

Highly intelligent? I am not for abusing them at all. But if they are being treated well.then they don't know the difference.

The animals in a good zoo are treated pretty well.

I guess we should have never domesticated dogs and bread themachine for own entertainment. Poor dogs locked up in a house and we castrate them.

Sometimes I question your IQ level.

And FYI, Animals live longer in the wild than in captivity

 

[i am herdman]

Sometimes I question your IQ level.

And FYI, Animals live longer in the wild than in captivity

Who cares?

 

[ThunderCat98]

Good. I hate zoos and circuses.

To be clear, im no animal-loving hippy that thinks they are on the same level as human beings. I just know i prefer freedom over captivity and assume they do to.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

I guess we should have never domesticated dogs and bread themachine for own entertainment. Poor dogs locked up in a house and we castrate them.

It's quite possible dogs sort of domesticated themselves. The weaker wolves hung around human encampments to eat trash and leftovers, basically. That said, dogs are not wolves and have not evolved to live in the wild. Not only their temperament changed, but so did their physicality. Can they? Sure. But they live much longer and healthier as pets. The opposite is true of some wild animals. Elephants and orcas in particular have much shorter lifespans in captivity.

 

[i am herdman]

Well the sea lion lives longer in the zoo.

 

[Walden Pond]

If it wasn't for pitiful old women driving terribly with paw prints on the back of their cars, I could still like pets. They ruined them for me. Ship 'em off to Siberia.

 

[herdfan06]

If it wasn't for pitiful old women driving terribly with paw prints on the back of their cars, I could still like pets. They ruined them for me. Ship 'em off to Siberia.

What about young PETA protestors?

 

[raleighherdfan]

Let em all go back to the wild for all I care. In 2o years the same group demanding their release now will be moaning about their extinction and blaming the zoos for releasing them back into the wild to be preyed upon.
(Sounds almost like the history of our mental health system)

 

[i am herdman]

Let em all go back to the wild for all I care. In 2o years the same group demanding their release now will be moaning about their extinction and blaming the zoos for releasing them back into the wild to be preyed upon.
(Sounds almost like the history of our mental health system)

Exactly. They will say but how are we going to educate the children about these lovely creatures?

 

[Rock98Dog]

Sometimes I question your IQ level.

And FYI, Animals live longer in the wild than in captivity

Well, except the ones that get eaten.

 

[Herd Fever]

Well, except the ones that get eaten.

Thats Nature

 

[Herd Fever]

It's quite possible dogs sort of domesticated themselves. The weaker wolves hung around human encampments to eat trash and leftovers, basically. That said, dogs are not wolves and have not evolved to live in the wild. Not only their temperament changed, but so did their physicality. Can they? Sure. But they live much longer and healthier as pets. The opposite is true of some wild animals. Elephants and orcas in particular have much shorter lifespans in captivity.

Well in San Diego, the stray dogs are pretty much wild animals here

 

[andy4theherd]

i've taken my kids to Columbus, Cincy, and Louisville (consider us part of the problem). every time i see those big cats i just feel like shit for them...

 

[GK4Herd]

It's quite possible dogs sort of domesticated themselves. The weaker wolves hung around human encampments to eat trash and leftovers, basically. That said, dogs are not wolves and have not evolved to live in the wild. Not only their temperament changed, but so did their physicality. Can they? Sure. But they live much longer and healthier as pets. The opposite is true of some wild animals. Elephants and orcas in particular have much shorter lifespans in captivity.

Dogs are a classic example of artificial selection. Man breeding dogs for whatever quality they were looking for has resulted in such diversity of breeds it's hard to believe that dogs and wolves shared a common ancestor.

As far as the discussion on this thread, I think zoos and parks like Disney probably attempt to treat animals well, but it's kind of like prison to humans...just because you're fed three meals a day and have a warm bed to sleep in, doesn't mean the quality of life isn't diminished. Saying that they are not reduced in their quality of life because predators are removed and the need to hunt to survive is no longer needed would be like saying humans are fortunate to have a life sentence in prison.

 

[i am herdman]

Dogs are a classic example of artificial selection. Man breeding dogs for whatever quality they were looking for has resulted in such diversity of breeds it's hard to believe that dogs and wolves shared a common ancestor.

As far as the discussion on this thread, I think zoos and parks like Disney probably attempt to treat animals well, but it's kind of like prison to humans...just because you're fed three meals a day and have a warm bed to sleep in, doesn't mean the quality of life isn't diminished. Saying that they are not reduced in their quality of life because predators are removed and the need to hunt to survive is no longer needed would be like saying humans are fortunate to have a life sentence in prison.

How do we know how they feel?

 

[andy4theherd]

How do we know how they feel?

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Well in San Diego, the stray dogs are pretty much wild animals here

There are wild stray dogs everywhere. But they are not as healthy nor live as long as pet dogs.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

i've taken my kids to Columbus, Cincy, and Louisville (consider us part of the problem). every time i see those big cats i just feel like shit for them...

I go to the zoo. And I feel bad for big cats and bears in particular. I do enjoy seeing snakes and big lizards.

 

[Herd Fever]

There are wild stray dogs everywhere. But they are not as healthy nor live as long as pet dogs.

They run in packs out here, its quite hilarious lol

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

They run in packs out here, its quite hilarious lol

They do out in the sticks, too. You probably don't know much about the sticks. There does seem to be fewer packs of them now vs when I was a kid since coyotes have really taken over. Coyotes are fvcking thick around here.

 

[Walden Pond]

What about young PETA protestors?

Dumb whores, but instead of shipping them off I'd sell them to the highest bidder. So at least they're worth something, which is more than I can say for the animals.

 

[Herd Fever]

They do out in the sticks, too. You probably don't know much about the sticks. There does seem to be fewer packs of them now vs when I was a kid since coyotes have really taken over. Coyotes are fvcking thick around here.

I was in WV for 8 years, I know about the sticks. Plus when I visit my family in Jamaica, the sticks or "the bush" is where I spend the majority of my time. I barely go into the cities. Trust I know about that country life.

 

[herdfan06]

I was in WV for 8 years, I know about the sticks. Plus when I visit my family in Jamaica, the sticks or "the bush" is where I spend the majority of my time. I barely go into the cities. Trust I know about that country life.

It took you eight years to earn your degree?

 

[Herd Fever]

It took you eight years to earn your degree?

No 5 then I got a job

 

[herdfan06]

No 5 then I got a job

You had me worried that you were the Jamaican Tommy Boy.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

I was in WV for 8 years, I know about the sticks.

Huntington is not in the sticks. I don't know much about Jamaica but I am going to guess you all don't do much deer hunting there lol.

 

[andy4theherd]

just think how much more rounded this board would be if Greed had given Fever a job back in the day...