The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

New RSO to protest at Carson and Barnes circus Thursday

Daily Egyptian

Tom Rider, former Ringling Bros. Circus elephant trainer, pushed the VHS tape into the VCR. He paused and looked up at the audience gathered Monday night in the Student Center Kaskaskia Room for his presentation on animal cruelty.

"Be prepared, you might get squeamish," he said as a scene with an elephant trainer, three endangered Asian elephants and fellow animal handlers in a barn appeared on the television monitor.

Within the six-minute footage, Tom Frisco, a former animal care director and long-time elephant trainer for the Carson and Barnes Circus, called the elephants obscene names, beat the animals with an electric prod and told his fellow trainers abusing them in the barn, away from the public, was alright.

"Hurt 'em. Don't touch 'em. Make 'em scream."

After saying these words, Frisco shocked the three endangered Asian elephants with the prod. The pachyderms hollered with pain, the new caretakers watched with confusion and an undercover video captured it all.

The People for Equal Treatment of Animals (PETA) investigators released the tape. Rider presented it along with other circus animal abuse footage to a group of students and members of the new Registered Student Organization, Students Speak Out For Animals, who sponsored the event.

The impending arrival of a Carson and Barnes Circus, performing two shows on Thursday at the Southern Illinois Airport outside of Carbondale, has brought more than a nationally known event back to Southern Illinois. It has prompted the first animal rights campaign for the RSO and a protest toward the cruelty of circus animals at the event.

Natalie Wodynksi, a junior in university studies from Lemont, and the president of Students Speak Out For Animals, said has seen undercover video footage such as the evidence Rider presented Monday night.

She saw Rider's presentation in Washington D.C. in February and wanted to invite him to speak before the circus came to town. He responded within two weeks and wanted to advocate their efforts toward campaigning for animal rights.

She said more than 15 people want to help the RSO pass out leaflets and flyers about circus animal abuse at the circus Thursday, but more importantly to educate citizens about what can go on behind the scenes.

"We want to inform people and let them know what happens to the animals in the tent," she said. "We want to let people know and hopefully change their view for what they find as entertainment."

The Carson and Barnes circus has sold up to 3,000 tickets for past performances and has done well in the Carbondale area. Other attractions include trapeze artists and clowns, but the most popular attraction is animal tricks.

Paul Legare, advanced marketing coordinator for Carson and Barnes, said he and the circus company are aware of Frisco's actions and the videotape. He has spoken with Frisco about his actions and the trainer said he was apologetic about the language and how some of his actions were portrayed. But Legare said there are two sides to every story.

"It is a great piece for PETA, but it was done in an editing studio," he said. "Tom Frisco, who I have spoken to, said it was a locker room setting and didn't know anyone said it; it was in a closed setting."

Rider noted to the audience at his presentation Monday night the Carson and Barnes Circus' reaction to the videotape was that they were apologetic about the language, but did not respond to the animal abuse.

Legare said the circus trainers, sponsored locally by the Carbondale Rotary Club, do an excellent job and protect the livelihood of the more than 100 animals in the show.

He noted the circus invites the public to come out and watch the elephants and the hired help put up the main tent for the circus. But he added that after the animals leave the public they are not mistreated.

"They are in fact on display, but some think as soon as the public leaves, we beat them behind their backs," Legare said. "We have a clean record ˜ the USDA [United States Department of Agriculture] does inspect, and we inspect almost daily."

However, PETA has recognized more than 30 citations and investigations since 1982 against Carson and Barnes, with some investigations still open.

Rider, who trained elephants for two and a half years, said some of the tools trainers in most circuses have are overused to control animals. One such tool is a "bullhook," a long stick with a fire poker type point on the end.

Rider showed undercover video footage of a man in the Ringling Bros. Circus who hit an elephant with the bullhook and it got caught in the mouth of the animal. Instead of carefully removing it, he yanked down with both hands, piercing the skin.

Rider said according to the Humane Society, piercing the skin of an elephant or any animal with a bullhook is a violation and is illegal.

"Actually the skin of an elephant is as thin as a human's," Rider said.

A statement released by the director of advance coordination for Carson and Barnes Circus noted that "all circuses have a first amendment right to perform with animals, as an artistic exhibition. The public has a right to choose to patronize the exhibitions. In its 66-year history, the Carson and Barnes Circus has been inspected continually by various federal, state and local humane agencies with regard to its animal care procedures. Carson and Barnes Circus has been cited as one of the most progressive circuses on the road."

But Mary Boehler, a registered nurse from Makanda, said she had never seen footage and heard facts such as those Rider presented Friday night. She has not actively participated in animal rights campaigns, but her mind has been changed.

"It was very bad and I hope to talk to Natalie about helping out," Boehler said. "I want to educate others and let them know what happens to these animals."

Reporter Samantha Edmondson can be reached at sedmondson@dailyegyptian.com

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