Ringling Brothers Circus Animal Parade
The circus is coming to town!
Since we aren’t going to make it to the actual circus while it is in DC, I thought it would be fun to watch the circus animals (particularly the ELEPHANTS) as they marched their way to the Verizon Center for the first show! In addition to the huge elephants, there were donkeys, ponies, horses, motorcycles and clowns (of course!). However, RJ was most excited about all of the police in their cars and those riding their bikes and motorcycles (go figure). The clowns gave the children hats and clown noses as gifts and PETA was in full effect handing out stickers stating, “Elefriends: Circuses are no fun for animals.”
It is important to note that the parade was only about 5 minutes long so if you do not live very close, you probably want to consider if it is worth your time…and gas $$!
PETA was out last year when we went to the circus in Richmond. I agreed with them last year after seeing the show. The animals were obviously drugged (especially the lions, tigers and elephants). They just looked extremely sluggish. I had mixed feelings. The show was fantastic (in my opinion) without the animals. The acrobats, stunt motorcycles, clowns, and gymnast were phenomenal.
Shelley: I can totally see what you mean about the show minus the elephants!!
Yes, I can totally see that being the case. I guess we just need to go to Cirque du Soleil!!
Awe. I remember seeing the parade every year when I was in elementary school on Capitol Hill (K-2nd grades). Back then there was no Verizon Center and the circus marched to Stadium Armory. I’ll never forget being so close to smell the elephants feces. Talk about stinky. Glad they still have this tradition and that RJ enjoyed it.
Ethan loved Cirque du Soleil so it is a good choice although not too many kids are there and they don’t have the glow in the dark swords like Ringling Bros.
Dericka: Just saw my first Cirque de Soleil performance in Vegas! I gotta take RJ to something like that too! We’ll just have to bring our own glow in the dark sword! LOL
If your family loves elephants the circus is the last place you should go, you won’t see any happy elephants there, just look into their eyes, they’ve only known a life time of abuse, chained in a boxcar except when they limp out to perform for the circus audience at the next town.
Attending the circus used to be a family tradition, but that all changed in 2009 when we saw many photos of a Ringling Bros. baby elephant training session at their Center for Elephant Conservation facility. We were shocked to see these baby elephants being abused with bullhooks (resembles a fireplace poker), ropes and Hot Shot to shock them with. No one knew that these baby animals were being trained using abusive and cruel training methods that continues for months and years, the circus has always said they only use patience’s, food reward and love to train their elephants to perform.
The more I researched this circus animal abuse the worse it got, after seeing videos after video and pictures it makes me wonder, how can this kind of animal abuse still being allowed to happen in the 21st century?
Jainem! Thanks so much for your comment! I think I’m where you were in 2009. Although we’ve never taken our children to the actual Ringling Brothers circus, the issues are something I’m more sensitive to these days! Have you read “Water for Elephants?” I hear it’s really good! Thanks again for posting!!