Letter for Email – Animal Rights Re: SHRINE CIRCUS We understand you have concerns about animal performers in the Shrine Circus. The purpose of this letter is to help you become better informed about this great family-oriented event. THE SHRINE CIRCUS TRADITION In 2014 we expect up to 100,000 Ontarians to attend the Shrine Circus, an Ontario family tradition for 80 years. It’s often the only chance children, parents and grandparents ever have in their lifetimes to see these wonderful animals up close, in a context that helps them begin to understand their remarkable natures and intelligence. TV shows, movies and zoos do inform but cannot provide a deeply personal and visceral sense of these wonderful creatures. Only seeing them up close in the wild or at the Shrine Circus can. From the earliest days Shriners have been known for their philanthropic efforts locally and across the country. Local Ontario Shriners sponsor a range of activities and programs that include services for children and their families needing specialized medical treatment and related transportation. OUR CIRCUS PRODUCER We’d like to tell you about the Shrine Circus producer, John Zerbini, and his family, many of whom also work with animal performers. The Zerbini family has been training and exhibiting domestic and exotic animals in Europe since 1763. Now in their tenth generation, the Zerbinis have proven themselves time and again to represent the best in animal welfare and innovative, forward-thinking training methods. Mr. Zerbini moved from Europe to the United States in 1961 and revolutionized the presentation of exotic animal acts by refusing to present himself with the traditional whip, chair and gun. Instead he used a microphone, comedy and his charisma to present a new style of performance based on trust and mutual respect. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) used him as a case study when developing their animal care regulations for exotic animal exhibitors. Mr. Zerbini was honoured by being given the first ever USDA license issued to an animal exhibitor. tzproductions/index.php/animals His daughters have established their own reputations as world-class animal trainers. Patricia Zerbini founded and built a major exotic animal facility in Florida that is a safe haven for hundreds of elephants and exotic cats as they breed, relax between tours and retire. They receive the best of care in a well protected, stimulating environment. Patricia has also travelled the world as a consultant, bringing her experience and forward-thinking techniques to areas where animal care and training standards are not as developed as ours. Sylvia Zerbini is widely respected in the horse training, care and performance fields. Not only has she spent many years with her beautiful Arabian horses in Ringling Brothers Circus, she has trained, toured and performed with “Cavalia”, one of the world’s most respected theatrical productions centred around horses. allaboutelephants/ SUPPORTING RESEARCH, DIVERSITY AND REFUGES FOR ELEPHANTS Our Shrine Circus producer partners with other circus operators, zoos and university schools of veterinary medicine to ensure a diverse and healthy gene pool for the species involved, and to research aspects of the lives and health of these animals. In addition, the circus community in North America financially supports the acquisition of land for and operation of elephant refuges in Asia. ANIMAL CARE AND TRAINING Each animal performer is an active, engaged partner in the performance. For example, every behaviour exhibited by elephants in performance stems from natural behaviours that can be witnessed in the wild. Respecting and demonstrating their intellect, agility and individual characters are key aspects of training and performance. A deep emotional tie develops between human and animal in training and performing through working together in close, caring association using positive reinforcement. If you have ever had a pet you know how close they become to you. So it is with these animal performers and their human partners. Animal training experts have long found that one cannot establish a successful relationship with any animal performer if you do not get to know it and respect its individual character. As with people, abuse is not only highly undesirable, it doesn’t work as a training method. These animal performers enjoy superior diet, excellent health and a stimulating life with their human partners. When needed they receive the best veterinary care. As a result, they generally outlive their cousins in the wild by decades. OUR CIRCUS IS CLOSELY INSPECTED AND REGULATED Our circus, its animals and their documentation are inspected at virtually every stop by local humane societies and/or SPCA’s, as well as by Agriculture Canada when it enters and leaves the country. These agencies have full authority under law to inspect, seize and lay charges wherever they see negligence or abuse. No seizures or charges have been levied by Canadian authorities against this circus in thousands of performances over the last 30 years that we have presented it. At each venue the Shrine Circus must meet local standards for animal well being, fire prevention, sanitation and public safety, and is inspected for compliance. ANTI-CIRCUS CLAIMS If even a fraction of the negative claims about our circus were true, our production (and others) would not be licensed, be insurable or allowed to operate internationally. Moreover, activists’ information about this circus has been found by the Ontario Superior Court to be “unreliable, unverified and inflammatory”. In summary, we understand and respect that you have a right to form your opinions about our circus; we hope that this information will help you make an informed opinion, with a better understanding of the complex relationships amongst all the participants in the Shrine Circus ! We encourage you to attend, to see firsthand !
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 20:39:54 +0000
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