Ringling Whistleblower Reveals Shocking Details of Lion's Death, Elephant Abuse

Frank Hagan, a veteran Ringling employee and lion handler who has signed an affidavit stating that he was present when a 2-year-old lion named Clyde died on the Ringling train, reports that Clyde's death was a result of negligence. What's more, he says, the circus apparently tampered with evidence and interfered with the USDA's investigation.

Hagan alerted PETA that Clyde died on July 13 while the circus was traveling through the Mojave Desert on a day when temperatures soared to 109°F, which was not unusual. Despite the scorching heat and poorly ventilated boxcars, Gene Petis, the circus's train master, refused repeated requests to stop the train to check on the lions because the circus was behind schedule.

When the train finally stopped mid-afternoon, Clyde "was not moving, barely breathing, and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth. ... Clyde breathed his last breath within moments of our arrival."

This incident is nearly identical to one in July 2000 in which two of Ringling's tigers injured themselves in attempting to escape from cages in an overheated boxcar. Then, the USDA cited Ringling for failure to provide adequate care in transit, failure to provide drinking water, and failure to maintain transport enclosures. The tigers were in immediate danger because of an excessive rise in temperature. Despite chronic problems with rail transit, the circus continues to transport animals by train simply because it's cheaper than using trucks.

Coverup!

According to a March 26, 2001, internal USDA memo, "This is a request to subpoena to compel testimony and provide documentation ... under the [Animal Welfare Act (AWA)]. ... I have been involved in an investigation into allegations of elephant abuse and exhibiting elephants infected with TB by Ringling Brothers Circus. ... The investigation has been very frustrating in that Feld Entertainment has not been cooperative with allowing the USDA to review medical records on the elephants, and that key witnesses will not cooperate due to court settlements with Feld Entertainment that prevent them from discussing any circus issues with anyone."

An August 23, 1999, incident report from the Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley reports that Ringling veterinarian Bill Lindsay and two other circus employees surrounded a humane investigator in a threatening manner and angrily confronted the investigator in an attempt to impede an investigation into bloody lacerations found on numerous elephants.

On August 6, 1999, the USDA was forced to subpoena a necropsy report from Texas A&M University's veterinary laboratory for Benjamin, a 4-year-old elephant who had drowned, after Ringling ignored AWA requirements and two investigators' July 28 request for the documents.

And an internal USDA memo dated February 25, 1999, detailing injuries found on two baby elephants during a February 9, 1999, inspection, states, "[Ringling veterinarian] Dr. Lindsay was very upset and asked repeatedly why we could not be more collegial and call him before we came. I explained to him that all our inspections are unannounced. ... All Ringling personnel were very reluctant to let us take pictures [of the calves' rope lesions]." Ringling personnel were described as "badgering," "disgusted," "antagonistic," and "defensive" toward the inspectors.

"Captain Hook"

Metzler's training methods have been caught on video. In one clip, Metzler is tightening the elephant's head gear. With his back to the camera, he peers over his shoulder to see if anyone is watching, then forcefully jabs the elephant twice with the bullhook under her sensitive chin. In a second clip, Metzler casually walks over to an elephant, stands next to her, and then suddenly, without warning, gives her a painful whack on the trunk with the bullhook. Click here to view "Captain Hook" in action.

And despite their young age, Hagan reports that two elephants, 8-year-old Kelly Ann and 7-year-old Angelica, are already suffering from captivity-induced foot infections, which frequently lead to premature death and are caused by long hours of standing on hard surfaces in their own feces and urine.

What You Can Do

Please contact U.S. Department of Agriculture officials and politely ask them to thoroughly investigate this incident and file charges against Ringling for its chronic failure to provide adequate care to animals in transit:

Chester A. Gipson, D.V.M.
Associate Deputy Administrator
USDA-APHIS-VS
4700 River Rd., Unit 84
Riverdale, MD 20737-1234
301-734-7833
301-734-4993 (fax)
Chester.A.Gipson@usda.gov

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