I need your help. *video.*
No fun preface today because I’m having a crisis and I need your help.
(If you’re only here for the party, go read this post where I tried to get Paul to help me sew Christmas bows.)
This is why I need your help:
UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS IS THE WORST.
I’ve written about circus animals before, but how can I make a real difference? How can I be more effective? (hint: this is where you come in.)
I made a short video to jazz up my soapbox, and I uploaded it directly to Facebook… my hope is to reach an audience much larger than my own; and this is the simplest way I could think of to share information.
In the interest of time/narrative/internet-attention-span, I’m limiting my content to tigers… tigers used for “entertainment” are my own personal hill-upon-which-I-will-die-(and-keep-forcing-you-to-read-about.) ESPECIALLY the tigers used at UniverSoul circus.
Their “owner” Mitchel Kalmanson, is REPEATEDLY CITED for treatment of the cats that is horrific and makes me want to light myself on fire.
Here is a SIXTY-FOUR PAGE pdf of all Mitchel’s USDA and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) citations, fines, and violations of the Animal Welfare Act, that I could find. Let’s assume if I spent another 40 hours looking, I could find twice as many.
Not that it matters, because he just pays the fines and gets to keep doing the same thing.
So. CLEARLY Mitchel Kalmanson is a man who needs me to be WAY more involved in his life; and as soon as I get done this circus business, I am going to get right on that.
In the meantime, here is short list of his greatest hits:
– cited for failing to provide the animals with water, food, ventilation, space, and exercise… (otherwise known as the ability to sustain life.)
– cited for feeding cats rotten meat,
– cited for holding cats in trailers filled with excreta and infested with maggots,
– cited for denying animals veterinary care, (including a lion cub who died of metabolic bone disease caused by an inadequate diet of aforementioned rotten meat.)
– cited for keeping tigers and a cougar confined to unsuitable cages inside transport trucks during 90-plus-degree-heat without access to water in a mall parking lot… It took the USDA TWO DAYS TO INVESTIGATE THIS REPORT… two days the animals baked in a mall parking lot inside a tractor trailer.
– cited for refusing to allow USDA inspectors to investigate the animal’s welfare.
**douses Self in kerosene and lights match**
UniverSoul denies any responsibility for the animal acts they hire; offering this disclaimer: “Any and all animal acts that perform with the UniverSoul Circus must be in compliance with federal, state and local rules, ordinances, and regulations.”
This is utterly meaningless seeing as how Animal Welfare Act violations are enforced by FINES. When the fine is paid, the animal contractor is in compliance.
Besides, seeing as how it’s LEGAL to keep wild animals in a tiny cage for their entire life, bereft of any kind of normal existence, (as long as you give them water,) the idea of being in “compliance” with the law is hinged upon the acceptance of treating magnificent living beings as objects whose suffering is irrelevant.
**Self’s rage fire burns with the heat of 10,000 suns**
**Please don’t make Self live with her rage fire all alone.**
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
1. Be a voice for animals.
Share information LOUDLY.
Tell EVERYONE.
Our beliefs are not what define us as people, our actions are.
Just sharing once on Facebook isn’t enough… we REALLY NEED TO BE PERSISTENT… If Paul Revere had just Tweeted that the British were coming, and then was like, DUDE I’m so busy! I don’t have time for the revolution… we’d all be having an afternoon snack called tea.
Take the time to truly explain to your friends and family WHY you don’t support circuses that use animals… plenty of people really don’t realize at all what these animals endure, and a change in perspective can make all the difference.
2. Go to UniverSoul social media pages.
Leave a comment asking them to end their support of animal abuse!
facebook.com/universoulcircus
twitter.com/universoulcirc
instagram.com/universoulcircus/
You can retweet mine:
. @UniverSoulCirc Keeps tigers caged 24/7!! deprived of any semblance of a natural life. used as props in magic act. https://t.co/DkCJtLLacS pic.twitter.com/G7XTCYRfSy
— Victoria E Barnes (@victoriaEbarnes) November 22, 2016
Here are some comments you can copy/paste/edit.
- The animals in your circus are deprived of any semblance of a natural life… forcing tigers to endure enormous suffering so that they can be a prop in your magic act is MADNESS! This is the year 2016! HOW ARE HUMANS NOT BETTER THAN THIS YET?
- Keeping living beings in chains and cages is NOT entertainment. Wild animals belong in the wild! It’s time for change!
- Hello fellow animal lovers! I was horrified to learn that UniverSoul Circus is the WORST for animals!!! (google: UniverSoul animal abuse!!) EVERY SINGLE ONE of their animal acts has a long history of Animal Welfare Act violations!
- They are abusing elephants (google it!) and the big cat act is horrifying! The tigers are caged 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!!! THEY NEVER LET THEM OUT!
3. Write and call UniverSoul directly.
Tell them that the circus is no place for wild animals.
Telephone: 404-588-1235
hernest@universoulcircus.com
wthomas@universoulcircus.com
tjones@universoulcircus.com
Info@UniverSoulCircus.com
Here is an email you can just copy paste:
Subject: the circus is no place for wild animals!
Dear UniverSoul,
According to the USDA, the animal acts you contract with have lengthy histories of repeatedly violating the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)… But even if that wasn’t the case, wild animals don’t belong in the circus!
Circus animals are deprived of any semblance of a natural life– please end your support of this abuse!
Wild animals are not entertainment.
It’s time for change!
Sincerely,
Victoria Barnes
832 Park Ave
Fancyville, GFT 01010
555-1212
(I always include my personal info… I think it says, I’m HERE. And I’m REAL.)
Bears do not want to ride bikes, tigers do not want to jump through fire, elephants do not want to stand on their head… Animals forced to perform in circuses are “trained” in extremely violent and inhumane ways: electric prods, bullhooks, whips, muzzles, chains, restraints.
So many places in the world have banned animals in circuses, but the United States continues to allow it! Yes, there are American cities who are implementing more progressive policies, but at a pace so slow as to be useless to the animals.
Wild animals DO NOT BELONG IN PRISON FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT.
This is not a life for any living being.
Alright. I suppose you get what I’m saying and I can wrap up the all-caps brigade.
In closing, if you are in Philadelphia… UniverSoul is here through Sunday night, November 27th… They’ve been here since November 3rd– putting all of us who protest them through an endless shuffling of schedules and driving and hauling signs for a total of 38 shows at which we raised awareness that UniverSoul Circus is profiting from animal abuse.
We are tired, but we are still showing up for the animals!!! We’d love to have you join us! We have signs and flyers, all you need is yourself!
If you are still reading this, YOU ARE MY PEOPLE.
I AM THANKFUL FOR YOU… From the bottom of my heart.
p.s.- I got a new foster baby.
November 22, 2016 @ 11:08 am
Thanks for doing this! I just sent my emails! I’ve been a vegetarian for over twenty years because I don’t want to use animals and I certainly don’t want them to be abused!
November 22, 2016 @ 12:27 pm
You are doing an amazing thing! Thank you for providing the email and contact information! Animal cruelty makes make me boil and see all shades of red, and at the same time shrivel up and die on the inside. Standing with you in Philadelphia in spirit.
November 22, 2016 @ 1:03 pm
Just sent the emails
November 22, 2016 @ 11:13 am
Thank you for using your voice to help end this abuse!
November 22, 2016 @ 11:23 am
This right here is genuinely important. I would submit that an additional step, for people who can handle the strain of picking up a phone or sending an email, is to contact your representatives in Washington (they’re either newly elected and looking to please or looking down the barrel of another election right now, so it’s as good a time as any) and demand harsher punishments for AWA violators. Fines+prison time; fines+prison time+prohibited from owning or working in proximity to animals for a period of time; crippling fines+prison time during which water may or may not be available, depending on what other things folks have going on that day… all of these are on the table, right?
(Yes, I know “write your congressman” is a bit trite… but there’s a reason we’ve heard that advice a zillion times, and they so rarely hear from US.)
November 22, 2016 @ 11:27 am
Victoria, people should also write their us senators and house members and push to make personal ownership of tigers, etc. illegal.
November 22, 2016 @ 11:29 am
so, so , so true… (I waffle on how much information is too much and will just shut people down.)
November 22, 2016 @ 11:28 am
Email sent, FB post made. Thank you for taking on this cause. I live in Vancouver, Canada, so I can’t help you protest in person, but animals deserve basic care and fair treatment no matter where they live and I’m happy to do what little I can to help. Carry on the good fight. It makes a difference.
November 22, 2016 @ 11:29 am
Love your soap box!
Tragic using these big cats in that circus, all animals in circuses. I haven’t liked circuses since I was a teen, the hopeless animal acts were never entertainment. It makes me sad to see animals trapped in cages and tanks (marine animal circuses) being forced to do stupid things. Boycotting by never buying a ticket will stop it if enough people boycott because money talks. ‘
Thank you for helping to bring awareness to more people, awareness is the first step in stopping animal injustice. I will share your blog post on my FB profile and FB page (Kindness for Animals) and take action on your suggestions. Have you thought of starting a Petition asking this circus to retire into sanctuaries?
On a REAL animal entertainment topic, I hope you enjoyed the 2 part Nature series on PBS on Cats, I really did! 🙂
Enjoy your new foster fur baby!!
November 22, 2016 @ 11:41 am
Social/emails done. I saw a poster for a circus here in Berlin last week and the first thing I thought was, I wonder if they have animals like those horrible circuses in the US I learned about on VEB.
I didn’t know circuses still used animals til I read it here, because I know so many circus people who are in human-only circuses I foolishly assumed it was all acrobats, all the time these days. It hurts to learn, but you can’t fight what you don’t know exists.
November 22, 2016 @ 11:47 am
Done – emails sent, FB post added – wish I could join you in Philly, but supporting you from here in southern Oregon.
All the best,
Kim
November 22, 2016 @ 11:55 am
Victoria – I usually laugh until I cry at your blogs and I just love them!! Today, however, I started off crying and haven’t been able to finish the whole thing. I did post it to my Facebook page and will be back in a few days to finish the rest that I couldn’t take this time. It’s so sad that these animals are treated this way and don’t have anyone to love and protect them. . . .except US!!! I’ll do what I can to further the cause of taking care of caged animals. Thanks so much for shining a light on this matter, :o) Marian in Atlanta
November 22, 2016 @ 11:59 am
THANK you for engaging!!! I KNOW it’s hard, and I hesitate to be that person (when I know that usually what I share with you all is a lighthearted diversion… ) but I cannot live with myself if I do not do everything possible to raise awareness!
xoxo
November 22, 2016 @ 12:10 pm
Done and done my dear. Thank you for the contact information. I came at it from a business point of view hoping to give a different perspective so they wouldn’t tune us all out. Even if they have no heart or conscience, working with these contractors, and animal acts in general, are bad business so it’s pretty easy to show them why they should change their entertainment model and how others have done this successfully relying only on human performers (hello, Cirque de Soliel?)
I may have also asked them if they really needed others to point out that what was going on was cruel so I didn’t avoid the ethical/humane argument.
Good work!
November 22, 2016 @ 12:29 pm
I find this so upsetting I can’t watch the whole thing, it’s making me sick. People suck.
November 22, 2016 @ 12:34 pm
And it’s been shared on my facebook page. I agree with you that this MUST be stopped!
November 22, 2016 @ 12:57 pm
I can’t watch. I can’t watch those ASPCA TV ads either. But I can act. I get upset when I see zoo animals confined in tiny cages, and they are probably getting decent food and water. The Syracuse zoo isn’t as bad as some–most large animals are outside in open areas with space to roam, and the elephants are happy enough to breed. But the lions are in a small area–I don’t know why. Anyway, I agree with you about wild animal acts in circuses and real penalties for animal abuse. I suppose lawmakers are afraid that laws protecting circus animals would be extended to factory farms and then we’d all have to be vegan, or something. I’m sure there is a reason beyond indifference that penalties are limited to fines. The really important thing is to target the people who patronize circuses–and I don’t mean target in a bad way. How about letters to the editor of every newspaper in cities where circuses are performing? How about letters to PBS asking them to do an expose on animal treatment in circuses? How about organizing boycotts? There are probably lots of other avenues for getting the word out effectively that I’m not thinking of. The circuses have to seriously lose customers before anything will change.
November 22, 2016 @ 1:20 pm
Done! But thanks for the foster kitty teaser at the end . . . don’t make us wait too long!
November 22, 2016 @ 1:29 pm
I wish I lived near you for so many reasons. I’d be right out there with you protesting. I have boycotted circuses that have animals for many years (also places like Seaworld).
SO glad you got a new foster baby!!!!
November 22, 2016 @ 2:24 pm
I always sense a reserve when you post these please help abused animal information posts. Please be proud of what you are accomplishing..the kind readers will be glad to be reminded that such horrors exist and must be brought into the Light of Reason and the indifferent will remain indifferent-so no great loss and wouldn’t help anyway. Given our wonderful new government? things should be peachy dandy for the next 4 years. We may be protesting the caging and abuse of our fellow human beings. I did post at their site and I am going to call my HA! representatives? Not a Lobbyist so won’t be holding my breath. Very worried in Virginia…..
November 22, 2016 @ 2:54 pm
Victoria- I hear your cause, and suggest Change.org as a place to post your idea to ban circuses in the US. It’s great that you are sharing this important issue!
November 22, 2016 @ 3:51 pm
You could also start a petition asking the White House to intervene and direct the USDA to investigate within say 12 hours of a report of criminal behavior toward circus animals or could ask the USDA to further regulate by not allowing circus animals to perform in circuses at all. Do any modern countries ban circuses? That would be a start and I’d start CALLING the officers of your Congressman. Not DC, the local office. Those are the staffers to get involved. Invite them out with you to the circus to see how animals live. When you get the STAFFER involved, you get results.
November 22, 2016 @ 3:55 pm
Sharing the news and praying this circus will be shut down!
November 22, 2016 @ 4:03 pm
I absolutely HATE the circus. I abhor animals locked in cages. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I will follow your lead.