Wonderful exposure which is helping to educate the public.
Re the Shrine Circus, kudos to Newmarket, Ontario; Circus Garden (formerly Garden Bros. Circus), is trying out no animal:
Ringmaster Ian Garden said Circus Garden is test-driving a no-animal show and has had an overwhelmingly positive response from the public.
Their new high-tech, $750,000 extravaganza has a Cirque du Soleil flavour, he said.
"We just got 45 or 50 emails from people in Sudbury thanking us for not using animals," said Garden. "It has absolutely blown my mind the support we have got."
http://www.thestar.com/article/647667
The circus is coming to town – but instead of under the Big Top, the Shrine Circus will first appear in a Newmarket courtroom.
Last month, Newmarket council voted to ban the June 17 and 18 performances by the Shrine Circus from the town-owned Ray Twinney Recreation Complex, saying the facility, which is in a residential area, is not appropriate or safe for performing animals.
Xentel DM Inc., which stages the circus for the Shriners, fired back, and is taking the town to court this Thursday.
Town officials say the facility and its ventilation system are not designed for large animal acts, and having a circus there for two days will affect other users.
The Shrine Circus has three Asian elephants, seven horses and 10 dogs.
"The nature of the performances and the nature of animals performing must be considered in order to properly address protection of the audience and the employees," said a report. Also cited were concerns over "prior incidents involving performing animals on town facilities."
Two years ago, Newmarket made headlines after two female elephants appearing in the Garden Bros. Circus at the complex escaped. They "went on the lam" after a power cord, electrifying the fence holding them in their compound, was accidentally disconnected.
Susie stayed to graze on the complex's juicy grass, while Bunny wandered down the street, ending up on a neighbour's lawn, where she trampled the lilies and ate the leaves off a tree before the wayward elephants were rounded up.
Newmarket Regional Councillor John Taylor said the elephants' midnight stroll was amusing but could have had a far different outcome. "The truth is, when you have small children around, you have to be extra careful," Taylor said.
He insisted the ban is not based on animal rights issues.
"I can assure you our concerns are strictly an operational issue," Taylor added.
But Xentel spokesperson Len Wolstenholme said council's real motivation is to ban all circuses that use performing animals.
Wolstenholme says Newmarket council banned circus animals from town last year, then backtracked in the spring when told the issue was a provincial responsibility. Although the town does not have the jurisdiction to implement a sweeping ban, it does have the right to decide who can use its facilities.
Wolstenholme also complained that the debate in May to deny the Shrine Circus application was held behind closed doors and that Xentel was not given adequate notice.
Wolstenholme said Xentel has rejected going the no-animal route because ticket sales plummeted when it was tried in the past.
While the Shrine Circus may be shut out, Circus Garden, formerly the Garden Bros. Circus, will appear in the Twinney complex today and tomorrow.
Ringmaster Ian Garden said Circus Garden is test-driving a no-animal show and has had an overwhelmingly positive response from the public.
Their new high-tech, $750,000 extravaganza has a Cirque du Soleil flavour, he said.
"We just got 45 or 50 emails from people in Sudbury thanking us for not using animals," said Garden. "It has absolutely blown my mind the support we have got."
Garden is urging the public to vote by their attendance on the type of circus they prefer. Both the Shrine Circus and Circus Garden perform in Barrie this weekend.
"Let's call it the Battle of the Circuses," he added.
Circus Garden will take over the indoor Molson Centre for two days starting Saturday, and the Shrine Circus will set up under the tent in the Bayfield Mall parking lot.
--- On Thu, 6/11/09, Ottawa Animal Defense League <ottawaanimaldefenselea...@hotmail.com> wrote:
From: Ottawa Animal Defense League <ottawaanimaldefenselea...@hotmail.com>
Subject: [4animals] Action Alert: Foie gras/Shrine Circus
To: "Amanda OADL email list" <imabigs...@hotmail.com>, carleton.animalrig...@gmail.com, "Cathy Kari & Tom Kari OADL email list" <cstk...@sympatico.ca>, "Corrie Rabbe" <cra...@ifaw.org>, "Heather Kingston" <heather_rn_mlt_...@hotmail.com>, "Jasmin Horst (grim reaper) OADL email list" <jasminho...@yahoo.ca>, "Jessie Desroches OADL email list" <jessie_desroc...@hotmail.com>, "Kim OADL email list" <kimmee...@hotmail.com>, "Leslie OADL email list" <lester...@hotmail.com>, "Louise Leger" <louise.leger...@sympatico.ca>, "Michele Thorn" <michele.th...@casott.on.ca>, "OADL Courtney Lang" <courtneyl...@rogers.com>, "OADL Eamil John Wiseman" <wiseman.j...@gmail.com>, "OADL email alert" <ashjes...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email list" <akoolbh...@gmail.com>, "OADL email list April McGrath" <aprilmcgr...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email list David B foie gras" <astro_zombie...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email list Vaalea google group" <ottawaveg4animals@googlegroups.com>, "OADL email
list" <lindzyismy...@hotmail.com>, "OADL Email Alex Madore" <mador...@gmail.com>, "OADL email Allie Parker" <apar...@uvic.ca>, "OADL email Alroy Fonseca" <alroyfons...@gmail.com>, "OADL email Andrew Brighten" <andrew.brigh...@gmail.com>, "OADL email Astrid Mrkich" <astridmrk...@gmail.com>, "OADL email Caity Cuffari" <coolcait...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email Corey Brennan" <super_honey_bu...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email" <ctem...@xadvance.com>, "OADL email Daphne Gilbert" <daphne.gilb...@gmail.com>, "OADL email" <ejprob...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email Erin Lux" <elux...@uottawa.ca>, "OADL email Franny Gorbet" <f...@sympatico.ca>, "OADL email Gina Esposio" <despo...@magma.ca>, "OADL email" <halfamillionthoug...@gmail.com>, "OADL email Josh Flowfr" <josh_flo...@yahoo.ca>, "OADL email Julie Belanger" <vegan1...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email Kathryn Mitchell" <mitch...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email Kristina Provost" <minikvan...@yahoo.ca>, "OADL email Laura Dawb"
<la...@envirochic.ca>, "OADL email" <lime...@mondenet.com>, "OADL email" <littlelisa...@hotmail.com>, "OADL email Louise Perreault" <lulujo...@gmail.com>, "OADL email Mark Greenan" <markgree...@gmail.com>, "OADL email" <moonsn...@gmail.com>, "OADL email" <naj...@newyoke.com>, "OADL email Nicole Stovicek" <nikkist...@yahoo.ca>
Received: Thursday, June 11, 2009, 10:56 PM
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Hi everyone. A few updates about the foie gras campaign and a few other events you can help with.
FOIE GRAS
This past Wednesday a spokesperson with the Ottawa Animal Defense League was a guest on the CBC Radio call in show Ontario Today. Also on the show was the manager and owner of Canvas Resto-Bar, who we are currently targeting in our campaign to make Ottawa foie gras free. It was an excellent opportunity to speak on behalf of all the ducks and geese tortured and killed for foie gras. Most of the calls were very supportive of our efforts to get foie gras off the menu at Canvas. The truth is on our side. Foie gras is torture and completely unnecessary. The owner of Canvas did his best to evade questions about the cruelty involved in the production of foie gras, but OADL took every opportunity to make sure the listening public knew exactly what these animals are forced to endure. It seems Canvas is using this campaign as a means to promote his restaurant. While we think this is backfiring we also need to keep the pressure on. We have been outside Canvas with
leaflets , banners and signs twice this week and will be there again tomorrow, Friday June 12 from 7-9pm. If you can make it please come down and show your support. Otherwise take a minute to call Canvas and let them know what you think about them serving foie gras. Their phone number is 613-729-1991.
So far 8 restaurants have contacted us to say they have or will soon be taking foie gras off the menu. It appears many others no longer have it on their menu though we haven't received official word yet that this is permanent. Unfortunately, the Whalesbone Oyster House has put foie gras back on the menu under the name "I Love Foie Gras". Whalesbone is well aware of the conditions inside foie gras farms. We have been in contact with them before, but they are choosing to profit from extreme animal abuse. Please also contact the Whalesbone Oyster House and demand they take foie gras off their menu. Here is their contact information:
Phone: 613-231-8569
Email: Joshua Bishop (owner) jos...@thewhalesbone.com
Charlotte Langley (Chef) charlotte.lang...@thewhalesbone.com
Kate Klenavic (Chef of Catering/Event Coordinator) k...@thewhalesbone.com
Help us keep up the pressure!
SHRINE CIRCUS
Ottawa Animal Advocates has begun a campaign to stop the Shrine Circus from bringing their circus to Ottawa which showcases animals such as elephants forced to act in unnatural ways. These elephants are chained up most of the day, forced to stand on concrete and be in the back of trailers for hours on end. Please help the OAA in their campaign to stop circuses with animals from coming to Ottawa. Here is a link to their Facebook group page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=188343100645
On this page is contact information for the Shriners as well as St Laurent Mall who is allowing this circus to operate on their property. We will be outside the circus when they roll into town on August 7, 8 and 9. Book the days off and come help. Lets have a big turnout for this event!
As always, feel free to write with any ideas or comments you have. The animals are counting on us to be their voice.
"Never doubt that a small group of
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