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For decades, elephants Betty and Janice have been forced to perform circus tricks on a near-daily basis. A man with a sharp metal bullhook prods Betty to get into the trailer. Janice follows her in. Their legs are chained to the wall. The large door seals shut behind them. They brace themselves as the trailer starts to move—the circus convoy is on the highway for hours between locations. The large door opens, and the man with the sharp stick backs them out of the trailer. Despite his pressure, Betty must go slow because her legs are very stiff from bracing on the highway. The man chains Betty in a dark tent. She sways back and forth to deal with the pain, boredom, and isolation she has known for decades.
Janice prepares to carry riders before the circus starts.
The show starts. Music blasts over the circus grounds. The crowd noise roars alongside the music. The elephant act finally arrives, and the sharp stick directs Janice and Betty to enter the circus ring. The man tells Betty and Janice to climb onto a small platform and balance. Betty struggles to step onto the platform, her joints still stiff and her toenails cracked and painful. Betty is too weak to do these tricks anymore, so she stands motionless and despondent while Janice is treated like a wind-up toy. The audience members recognize how uncomfortable the elephants appear. The Ringmaster demands applause, and the man with the stick drives Betty and Janice back to the trailer.
Tomorrow, they travel to a new town. The day after, it will be much of the same. This is Betty and Janice’s entire life.
Veterinarians and animal welfare experts believe that Betty could collapse at any moment. If not given proper treatment and care, Betty could die on the road. Enough is enough—please help by contacting venues the circus plans to use and politely ask that they reject the continued exploitation of Betty and Janice and switch to animal-free entertainment.