By the time the Jordan World Circus arrives in Yuma, it will have traveled 30,000 miles so far this year, giving at least 200 performances in 100 cities.
The ASPCA and theHSUS agree: circuses with wild animals are inherently cruel. Elephants, tigers and other wild animals spend their entire lives chained, caged, being beaten into submission and forced to perform unnatural tricks in front of an unsuspecting public. Video evidence of this cruelty is overwhelming.
What does it take to take the wild out of wild animals? Animals are regularly beaten and terrorized to force them to perform unnatural tricks on cue for an unsuspecting viewing public.
You'll never see an elephant handler without a bullhook, a metal club with a sharp metal hook used to beat, hit, and poke the animals, especially when they are young, to break them and to make sure that they perform as required.
Hours and hours of video document how elephants are taught to live in constant fear of the bullhook; the same bullhook elephant handlers carry during performances swinging back and forth nonchalantly.
The Jordan World Circus does not own any of its animals, but rather contracts with a third party. As stated in the above video, JWC often uses Carson and Barnes elephants in their acts.
The Jordan World Circus travels over 33,000 miles from late January to mid-November. Their three elephants are crammed into one semi-trailer, while the tigers travel in small crates in a second trailer.
All the torture in the world cannot take the wild out of wild animals Dozens of incidents have been recorded of animals suddenly snapping, fighting back against their abusers or each other. These incidents put the public at risk of being caught in the path of a wild animal's rage.
Just last year, a Jordan World Circus elephant broke away from his handlers and attacked another elephant. These elephants gave rides to children later that day.
Out of Control - Abused Elephants Fighting in US Circus from Animal Defenders on Vimeo.
With the money you'll save by not going (and you will save a lot of money), you can do something else fun as a family. Or, you can take some of that money and buy them a game or toy.
An adult ticket is $18, children tickets are $16 (only two child can get in free per adult).
There may have been a time when a circus may have represented the only exposure a child had to a wild animal. Today our children learn early in school, and through such programs as on Animal Planet and The Discovery Channel, that wild animals live complex and fascinating lives, and have natural instincts, developed over thousands of years. When kids see the negative messages circuses send, it completely contradicts these lessons.
Circus proceeds do not go to the Shriners' Children Hospitals, but rather to the Shrine itself. According to the local Shriners website, "net proceeds from this activity are for the benefit of El Zaribah Shriners. Payments are not deductible as charitable donations."
Please join us on Tuesday, September 18th, at 6:30 p.m. for our 12th annual Yuma Circus Protest against the Jordan World Circus, brought to town by the El Zaribah Shrine. We will be meeting in the vacant lot on the southwest corner of Avenue 2 1/2 E and Palo Verde, just outside of the Yuma County Fairgrounds. Demonstration signs will be provided for this peaceful protest.
An increased awareness of circus cruelty has led to a growing list of local governments, states, and countries around the world to ban or heavily restrict animal circuses.
On August 31st, 2016, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation outlawing the use of bullhooks in the circus.
A New Jersey State Senate Committee voted on Sept. 12 to recommend passage of a bill that would make New Jersey the first state in the U.S. to ban Elephants in Traveling Shows.
Greece, Malta, Bolivia
Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Singapore, Israel, Mexico
Belgium, Bulgaria, and The Netherlands
Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Portugal, Sweden, India, Ecuador
Estonia, Hungary, and Poland
Ireland, Norway, Spain, UK, USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Australia
In the United States, at least 35 cities ban animal circuses. Los Angeles recently banned the use of bullhooks
After announcing in 2015 that the circus would retire its elephants, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey performed their last show with elephants in May of 2016.