Action for Animals Austin

Last Friday, a groomer with the Shrine Circus in Pennsylvania was killed by an elephant. A preliminary investigation by police indicates that the elephant may have been frightened by something and accidentally killed the groomer. Here's the story.

Here's what you can do to help end animal suffering in circuses:

1. Click the link to this story then add a comment at the end. I just did this. It was easy b/c you don't have to log on to add your comments.
2. Write a letter-to-the-editor of the the Citizens Voice, the local paper in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, at yourvoice@yourvoice.com. Briefly write about why you do not attend circuses that use animals. For this story, you can simply write, "elephants are dangerous, wild animals who can easily and quickly kill any human near them." Read our blog on how to write a great letter-to-the-editor.
3. Call the Irem Shriners (who organized this event) at 570-675-4465. Leave a polite message for W. Roy Smith, the man in charge of the Shriners in that town. Tell him you read about the groomer who was killed by a Shriner's elephant. Politely ask him to stop using circuses that use animals to raise funds for their charity. Tell him you only support charities that do not abuse animals. Please make your calls brief.  
4. The local Ben Hur Shriners held their Shriner's Circus in January in Cedar Park. Call their local office at 512-480-0812. Ask to be transferred to Gene Sanders, the man in charge of the local Shriners group. Tell him you read about the groomer who was killed by a Shriner's elephant in Pennsylvania. Politely ask them to stop using circuses that use animals to raise funds for their charity. Remind him that there are many non-animal circuses which they can use to raise funds. Tell them you only support charities that do not abuse animals. Please make your calls brief.

We'll have more updates on this story as they become available.

• circuses