PETA demonstrates against circus

Feet bound, back turned and nude body bared to the harsh rays of the sun, animal-rights activist Annie Judah cowered against a white banner that read, "Shackled, Lonely, Beaten."

Downtown Austinites crowded around the demonstration organized by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on the corner of Sixth Street and Congress Avenue at noon Thursday.

"We are protesting against the abuse of animals by the circus," said PETA spokeswoman Brandi Valladolid. "Annie gets to take off the fake scars on her back at the end of the day, but it is a reality to the animals of the circus."

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will host the first of six shows at 7:30 p.m. at the Frank Erwin Center Thursday. At a publicity event less than a mile away from the demonstration, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey spokeswoman Melinda Rosser denied PETA's accusations.

"No, the acts are not stressful and painful. Instead, they showcase and highlight the animals natural ability," Rosser said.

PETA activists and volunteers travel with the circus to raise awareness of animal abuse and cruelty.

"[The circus uses] physical force and domination to train the animals," Valladolid said. "The animals are deprived of everything that is natural to them."

Annie Judah works at the headquarters for PETA and volunteered for this event.

"I've been working with PETA since I was 14," Judah said. "It's totally worthwhile, and I really believe in the cause."

The busy intersection of Sixth and Congress is a major stop for Capital Metro buses and hosts a variety of businesses, including Starbucks. Austin citizens crowded the streets during their lunch hour, adding to the demonstration audience.

"Nothing surprises me here in Austin," said Amy Peck, who was on her lunch break from work. "There are a lot of liberal demonstrations here."

Many onlookers said they had mixed emotions about the demonstration.

"I agree with the message they are conveying today," said Garnett Wilmer, a commercial airline pilot who said he was a previous PETA donator. "Oftentimes however, I find myself at odds with the methods PETA uses to get their messages across."

While the demonstrators passed out pamphlets downtown, fully dressed clowns fed fruit to African elephants at a press event held at the Frank Erwin Center.

Rosser responded to PETA accusations that the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus beats elephants with bullhooks. She said the bullhook is a 3,000- year-old tool used like a leash or a guide.

PETA has also accused Ringling Bros. of being a "chronic violator of the federal Animal Welfare Act."

"The Ringling Bros. have never been found guilty of violating the act," said spokesman Jim Rogers of the Animal Care Division of the United States Department of Agriculture. "They have been charged a number of times and have settled out of court in some instances."

Rogers reported that APHIS has conducted 16 investigations on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Eleven were dismissed because there was no substantial evidence. Three investigations led to tickets or letters of warning asking the circus to stop certain actions, and the last two investigations were combined into one charge of mishandling an Asian elephant, which was settled out of court. Terms for settlement included the donation of $20,000 by the company to research infectious diseases and support nonprofit elephant sanctions.

- Additional reporting by Adam H. Covici

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