Letter to the Editor: Rotary Should Cancel Circus in Verplanck

To the Editor

It is tremendously disappointing to see that the Rotary Club of Cortlandt Manor is hosting a live-animal circus in Verplanck on June 16th and 17th. For an organization whose mission is rooted in service, ethics, goodwill and peace, it seems to be exceptionally contradictory that they would participate in a practice – the use of wild and exotic animals for entertainment - that is so widely considered to be barbaric and outdated. In the US, there are bans on circus animals in towns/cities across 22 states, including several places in NY. In the UK, over 200 local authorities have bans. Countries across the world even have NATIONWIDE bans on the use of some or all wild animals in circuses. These include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Sweden and way too many more to list. Why are we so slow to catch on?

Make no mistake – whether or not the Kelly Miller Circus animals are beaten (as has been reported numerous times), they ARE abused. Circus animals exist only to make their owners a profit, and first concern is always to the business, rather than the wellbeing of the animal. That fact is proven by the basic realities of circus life: animals, who are supposed to be wild, have no control over any aspect of their lives. Their eating and sleeping schedules are dictated by handlers, and they aren’t allowed to engage in their natural behaviors, such as socializing, roaming, and foraging. They endure grueling travel schedules and performance requirements, in temperatures often above 80 and 90 degrees. This is their entire existence – all they know is suffering. It is abuse, whether or not a hand is ever raised to beat them. As a result, many become listless, sick and depressed. The physical and mental frustrations of captivity often lead to abnormal, neurotic, and even self-destructive behavior. Sometimes, these animals lash out at trainers, handlers and event guests, leading to real tragedy.

Why, when there are so many other options for entertainment that don’t endanger our morals or our safety, would anyone, never mind a Rotary Club, want to bring a circus to town? That’s a question for Sharon Irving, president of the Rotary Club of Cortlandt Manor.

Despite the facts above and a change.org petition with 800+ signatures in just a few days, (https://www.change.org/p/rotary-club-of-cortlandt-sharon-irving-rotary-club-of-cortlandt-manor-cancel-the-kelly-miller-circus-performance-in-verplank-ny), Irving continues to defend her decision to host the circus, saying on Facebook that the Rotary has “had the animals blessed each time by a minister who would attest to the beautiful condition of the animals.” As this minister is presumably neither a veterinarian or an animal behaviorist, and we have no indication that he or she has done any investigating of this circus, it seems as though that statement is made to be a sort of propaganda, implying that a servant of God approves of the circus.

Irving invites people to visit the grounds when the circus is in town, to see for themselves if any abuse is taking place. This is problematic for at least two reasons: 1) Abuse doesn’t just mean beatings; the life described above IS abusive. 2) Abuse, whether beatings or otherwise, and whether the victim is an animal, a child or a battered spouse, doesn’t typically take place under the watchful eye of concerned citizens. Just because we can’t see physical evidence of physical and emotional abuse, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

I invite Irving to watch this eyewitness video of the abuse that takes place at Kelly Miller. Be sure to listen to his references to the “torture” that takes place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eH2oPHyUlY&app=desktop. I also invite her to imagine herself, or maybe a beloved family pet, enduring the life that these circus animals are subjected to. It’s a cringe-worthy thought.

Irving also insists that our concerns about this particular circus are unfounded, and that information that’s been shared is false. But, we have sources to back us up, like this document: http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/pdf/Kelly-Miller-pdf.pdf, which details citations against the Kelly Miller Circus, from organizations including the USDA, for dangerous, neglectful and abusive behaviors by trainers and other staff.

I’m very pleased that several local businesses that were supporting the circus, like Coles Market, Bagels on Hudson, and Croton Creamery, have stopped advertising and selling tickets. It’s my plan to show my gratitude by giving them my business whenever possible, and I hope others will do the same.

But, my real hope is that Sharon Irving will see the light and cancel this circus immediately. Other than greed, there is truly no reason to participate in a practice that’s widely considered barbaric, and every reason in the world to find other ways to entertain our citizens and raise money.

-Hillary Millman, Putnam Valley NY