Q&A on the News

Q: Now that the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has given its last performance, are there any traveling circuses featuring an animal act left? —David Dickey, Dallas

A: Yes. While the Ringling Bros. circus has closed down, other circuses with animal acts — including Oklahoma-based Carson & Barnes Circus, Florida-based Garden Bros. Circus and Atlanta-based UniverSoul Circus —continue to tour, according to PETA.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey had its last show on May 21 in Uniondale, N.Y., after 146 years of performances.

“After the removal of elephants from the performance last year after fierce and prolonged condemnation from animal rights groups, already-falling ticket sales dropped even further,” the New York Times reported.

Animal rights group PETA has long opposed circuses with animal acts, based on U.S. Department of Agriculture citations, warnings and fines, animal deaths and dangerous incidents. On its website, PETA lists other circuses with animal acts, as well as animal-free circuses like the FSU Flying High Circus, Cirque Italia and Circus Vargas.

“More and more people are choosing to support circuses that use only willing human participants and no animals,” Rachel Mathews, PETA Foundation associate director of captive animal law enforcement, told Q&A on the News via email.