Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Circus is Coming to Town



and it could get really interesting.

From Beaver Dam's Daily Citizen:

Columbus police prepared for any circus protest
By Paul Scharf - Staff Reporter

COLUMBUS - Acting police chief Lt. Dennis Weiner said Tuesday that his force will be ready in case representatives of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or any other animal rights groups show up this week to offer an opposing voice when the circus comes to town.

The Columbus Fire Department and the Columbus Fireman's Service Corp are bringing the Carson and Barnes Circus to Fireman's Park on Thursday as a fundraiser for the department, with 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. shows.

"Good Morning America" has also chosen Columbus as a place to catch up with Carson and Barnes as they do taping for a weekend segment on "the traditional American circus" which is scheduled to be shown in October. GMA will be taping Thursday morning as the elephants raise the big top, which will occur some time after 9 a.m. People will also be able to see many circus animals on Thursday morning.

PETA contacted the Columbus Journal late last week via both e-mail and phone. The e-mail contains numerous allegations against Carson and Barnes and its personnel. It also includes "a letter to Columbus Mayor Bob Link and the City Council urging them to enact legislation that would ban the use of bullhooks, electric prods, and other devices commonly used to inflict pain on elephants."




The e-mail seems to indicate that PETA's letter to Link was FAXed to city hall on Aug. 6. Link, however, has been gone on a fishing trip. He missed Tuesday's council committee of the whole meeting, and will not be back until after the circus.City administrator Boyd Kraemer said Tuesday night that the city had not received a FAX from PETA. The issue never came up during the two-and-a-half-hour council meeting

"I have a plan in the event that we need to access additional resources," Weiner said Tuesday regarding the department's response to the circus and any surrounding activities.

Weiner said that he was aware of one sign protesting the circus in a home on Ludington Street.

The Columbus Journal also received a request for information Monday from a representative of another group called In Defense of Animals.For their part, Carson and Barnes has sent out a three-page response to PETA's claims. It states, in part: "Please be assured that Carson & Barnes' owners and managers take any accusation or evidence of cruel treatment of our animals seriously. We do not condone or permit trainers to cause pain to animals, or to encourage other employees to do so."

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