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Clyde, this 2-year-old lion, was in a circus boxcar riding across the Mojave Desert
when found dead. Ringling Brothers Circus
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It is archived to use as a letter-writing example
or for background research.
USDA Investigates Death of Circus Lion
Activists Challenge Ringling Account
Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com���By Marc Kaufman
Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus faces a federal investigation amid allegations that it allowed a young lion to die in a
sweltering
animal train crossing the Mojave Desert and then tried to keep key information from the government.
Soon after the investigation was launched, Frank Hagan, a recently fired Ringling lion handler, delivered an affidavit to Agriculture
Department
officials contending that the lion died because the boxcar he rode in was extremely hot and the animal needed water.
Hagan said circus officials would not stop the train to cool the animal off despite reports by him and another handler that the 2-year-old
lion, named Clyde, and other animals were suffering from intense heat.
Frank Hagan, a veteran employee, also said that circus lawyers told him and others familiar with the incident not to talk to Agriculture
Department officials at the circus train to ask questions. Hagan said in the affidavit that the circus fired him soon after�
The lion�s death and the federal investigation have quickly become part of the battle between circuses and animal rights activists over
the treatment of animals in captivity� Read more at
Washington Post.
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*****THIS ALERT IS NO LONGER ACTIVE*****
DO NOT SEND THIS ALERT!
Dear Dr. Gipson,
Please fully investigate the July 14, 2004 death of Clyde, a robust lion traveling with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus across
the Mojave Desert, where temperatures had soared to 100 degrees on July 12. The young animal died horribly, struggling to breathe in a nearly
airtight boxcar en route from Phoenix, AZ to Fresno, CA.
Ringling�s lions endured three full days without supervision or water. Allegedly, Clyde�s body was not even found until
the train stopped just before Fresno. He must have suffered immensely as his body slowly surrendered to fatal heatstroke
and dehydration.
This is not an isolated incident. In July 2000, a strikingly similar disaster occurred when two caged tigers locked inside
a poorly ventilated boxcar injured themselves while trying to escape the scorching metal. A USDA inspection cited RBBBC
for failure to maintain tiger enclosures.
Ringling Bros. has an atrocious animal-care track record. In recent years at least 21 animals have died � five within 14 months. Kenny,
a three-year-old elephant, perished after working two shows with gastrointestinal/upper respiratory infections. At age four the elephant
Benjamen drowned while swimming unsupervised in a pond. An ailing Arabian horse collapsed during a procession and a wild-caught sea lion was
found dead in her travel crate.
Over the years, RBBBC has routinely incurred citations for trauma, physical harm and behavioral stress to animals; deficient veterinary care
and records; dispensing expired medication; insufficient exercise, space and shade for animals; improper feeding, unsanitary food; and more.
Clyde�s untimely death deserves your utmost attention. I respectfully ask you to file charges against Ringling Bros. for
its habitual failure to provide sufficient care to animals in transit. I look forward to your update on this disturbing case.
Thank you,
YOUR FULL NAME
ADDRESS, CITY, STATE
COUNTRY
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full contact information
*****THIS ALERT IS NO LONGER ACTIVE*****
DO NOT SEND THIS ALERT!
Chester A. Gipson, DVM, Associate Deputy Administrator
USDA-APHIS-VS
4700 River Rd., Unit 84
Riverdale, MD 20737-1234
ph: 301-734-7833
fax: 301-734-4993
email: Chester.A.Gipson@usda.gov
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