Ringling Bros. denied the allegations, claiming their circus animals are held in proper conditions, are healthy, and the training session take place in a safe, humane mode.

 

Tom Rider described how the elephants were being systematically hit. The plaintiffs said they will back their accusations with video footage of the mistreatment of elephants, which captured them while being hit with bull hooks and being chained for hours.

 

Circus representatives defended their cause, saying that was just part of the regular training sessions of the elephants, and that the animals were taken care of. Furthermore, Michelle Pardo, lawyer for Feld Entertainment Inc. – which owns Ringling Bros. – said this is just an attempt from animal rights organizations to open up a discussion on whether animals should continue to be held in zoos, circuses or parks.

 

But the animal rights organizations see thing differently. Tom Rider, who worked for the circus for three and a half years, expressed hope that the case will stop Ringling Bros. from mistreating animals ever again. The legal dispute between circus representatives and animal welfare organizations lasted for eight long years.

 

A recent study released at the end of last year revealed that elephants live twice as much in their natural habitat than in captivity. Furthermore, the researchers also found that inadequate conditions often lead to illnesses in elephants, but also to stress and obesity. The study focused especially on elephants held in zoos, but the case of circus elephants cannot be any different.