*Read recent press on the APA

*Upcoming Demos

*Upcoming Leafleting and Tabling before the final vote

*Next General Meeting

*CRY T-Shirts sold out!

*Donate Your Car to CRY

*School Presentations

*Watch a Video (external link)

*Write a letter to your City Council Representative

*Write a letter to the editor at the Star Tribune


*Contact the Mapewood Mall and tell them to stop sponsoring cruelty

The Circus Issue In a Nutshell

The Full Story on the New Circus Regulations in Minneapolis

Minnesotans who are concerned about the plight of circus animals have ridden a roller coaster of “hopes” and “hopes dashed” in 2007 and early 2008. The ride began in June 2007, when City Council Members Cam Gordon (Ward 2) and Ralph Remington (Ward 10) introduced a bill, the Animal Protection Amendment, to prohibit wild animal circuses in Minneapolis. The goal was for Minneapolis to join 28 other U.S. cities that have prohibited animal circuses. A prohibition would ensure that Minneapolis would not tolerate or profit from the inhumane treatment of animals in the circus.

Circus Reform Yes volunteers worked feverishly to prepare for the public hearing, scheduled for the first week of August. When the 35W Bridge collapsed, the hearing was postponed for a month. During that month, a substitute amendment was proposed by Council Members Paul Ostrow (Ward 1) and Betsy Hodges (Ward 13). Their substitute amendment was meant to undermine the Animal Protection Amendment. It called for ‘stricter’ regulations, but still allowed wild animal circuses to perform in Minneapolis. At the rescheduled public hearing before the Public Safety & Regulatory Services Committee, nationally known animal welfare advocates along with local speakers gave exceptional and compelling testimony. The Committee’s vote came in at 3-3. Voting in opposition to the Animal Protection Amendment were Paul Ostrow, Diane Hofstede (Ward 3), and Barbara Johnson (Ward 4).

In September 2007, the measure came before the full City Council, who voted 7-6 to implement stricter regulations on circuses instead of prohibiting them outright. Voting in opposition to the Animal Protection Amendment were Paul Ostrow, Diane Hofstede, Barbara Johnson, Robert Lilligren (Ward 6), Lisa Goodman (Ward 7), Scott Benson (Ward 11), and Betsy Hodges. The substitute amendment, which passed with one vote and mandated stricter regulations, was referred back to committee.

Beginning in November, Minneapolis Regulatory Services and Animal Care and Control held meetings with interested parties, including Circus Reform Yes, Feld Entertainment (Ringling Brothers), veterinarians, inspectors, and Shriners, to gather information and discuss issues related to regulating wild animal circuses.

New regulations were passed on Feb. 1, 2008, and are better than those on the books a year ago, but they don’t address many of the core issues relating to animal welfare. Regulations cannot address the two most debilitating factors for animals in the circus -- confinement and training. The new regulations do not guarantee the animals will have any more space while in Minneapolis, nor can the regulations undo the training sessions the animals experienced before they arrived in Minneapolis. Animals will still be kept in constant confinement and will still be subjected to harsh training methods -- the regulations cannot protect them from these conditions.

Before the final vote on the regulations, there was an effort to include a prohibition of direct contact between wild animals in the circus and the public. But the Shriners threatened to take their circus out of Minneapolis if they didn’t get to keep their elephant rides, so the Council, influenced by a last minute flip-flop by Member Paul Ostrow, voted to allow direct contact between the public and wild animals.

Additionally, Council Member Remington introduced an amendment to ban the bull hook-- the hooked, metal prod used to control and discipline elephants. The circus industry euphemistically terms the bull hook a ‘guide’, and convinced the Council to continue to allow its use. Council Member Betsy Hodges also defended the bull hook, saying, “Because the regulations already prohibited striking an animal, there was no need to include a bull hook ban, and the animals would actually be safer if there was not a bull hook ban.” However, 74.60 defines animal abuse in part, as “striking an animal with anything more substantial than a guide”. If an elephant is struck with a bull hook while in Minneapolis, it won’t necessarily be considered ‘abuse’ since the bull hook is termed a ‘guide’. The regulations only prohibit striking an elephant with anything ‘more substantial’ than a guide.

The final regulations may be viewed online. On the left side of the page scroll down to Title 4, Ch. 74.6 to view the complete regulations:

http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=11490&sid=23

It remains to be seen how the new circus regulations will be enforced. Unfortunately, even if they are stringently enforced, the regulations cannot protect the animals from the harmful effects of continual, intensive confinement, nor from training sessions that happen before the animals arrive in Minneapolis.

Rest assured, we will do everything we can to monitor the regulatory process in Minneapolis. We will do everything we can to keep you informed about how the regulations work. We will do everything we can to provide you opportunities to speak out and take action on behalf of the animals in the circus.

We now ask for your help. Your tax-deductible donation will help us continue our work in Minneapolis. Your donation will help us spread our work to other cities throughout Minnesota. Won’t you please help us make Minnesota a beacon for the rest of the country?

We thank you warmly for your support. We are grateful for any donation that you are able to give.

Please mail your donation to:
Circus Reform Yes
PO Box 14481
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Final Vote on Circus Regulations Friday, February 1, 2008

The Minneapolis City Council will vote on circus regulations that the Public Safety Committee approved unanimously

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, February 1st, the Minneapolis City Council will take a final vote on new circus regulations that the Public Safety Committee unanimously approved last week.

“The fact that such diverse Council Members as Ostrow, Johnson, Schiff, Gordon, Samuels, and Hofstede all agreed on the amended regulations shows that both sides worked towards finding a middle ground,” said Christine Coughlin, Director of CRY.

The new regulations still allow circuses to bring their wild animals into Minneapolis, but provide for increased inspections, fees, and prohibit direct contact between the wild animals and the public. The new regulations were arrived at after months of research by Regulatory Services and suggestions made by the Council Members themselves.

“Overall, the regulations that passed out of the Public Safety Committee will ensure a clearer inspection process because standards are explicitly stated, and will provide for enhanced public safety because no direct contact between wild animals and the public is allowed. Leaders on both sides of the issue voted in favor of these amended regulations last week, so one would expect the new regulations would also pass the full Council unanimously”, said Coughlin.

Thank you for a wonderful 2007!

Thank you for a magnificently successful year. We could not have accomplished all we did without you-our wonderful volunteers, donors, and supporters. Every leaflet delivered, every phone call and email to a Council Member, every dollar raised, helped us get closer than ever before to our dream of ending the misery for animals in the circus in Minneapolis.

Your actions raised awareness not only about animal suffering, but also that animals matter to people-lots of people- and that we’re only just beginning the fight on their behalf. You helped us show the City Council of Minneapolis, the Twin Cities media, and the public that we can push for compassionate change using sound scientific and ethical reasoning. Combining compassion, reason, and political organization, we can, and WILL, achieve our goals for the animals.

Please see our HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2007.

If the past two years are any indication, 2008 will be a great year for CRY, too! With your help we’ll continue to fight for those unable to fight for themselves.

Thank you for your support!

Circus Demonstrations a Success!

The Zuhrah Shrine held their annual wild animal circus at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis this past weekend. In addition to seeing performing tigers, a lion, rhesus monkeys, and elephants inside Target Center, once outside, circus patrons saw an entire city block lined with protesters holding signs and passing out educational literature. Photo

The Debate Continues…

Animal Protection Amendment Narrowly Defeated, Regulations Moving Forward

CRY is continuing to monitor and provide input as the City begins work on increasing circus regulations. We will let you know when the time comes to contact City Council members again. Questions? Contact Christine

Thank the Council Members who voted for the Animal Protection Amendment

"An Amazing Public Hearing"

More than 100 supporters joined CRY at City Hall on August 12th, 2007 in support of the Animal Protection Amendment. Read the full story here