Jordan World Circus

4040 S. Pearl St.
Las Vegas, NV 89121
USDA License #88-C-0062

Jordan World Circus has failed to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Jordan World Circus numerous times for failing to provide proper veterinary care, proper handling, nutritious food and clean water, shelter from the elements, and exercise and for inadequate and unsafe enclosures. Jordan waited a month to seek treatment for a malnourished tiger with a fractured leg, and it forced another sick tiger to perform. Jordan has left its tigers and lions in small travel cages for up to 11 days without exercise. Jordan uses elephants with a history of aggressive behavior. Contact PETA for documentation.

March 2, 2003: A 9,000-pound African elephant performing with Jordan World Circus at the Shrine Circus in Muskegon, Mich., escaped from a tent shortly before a performance and was recaptured 15 minutes later in a busy downtown area.

February 11, 2000: The Albuquerque Journal reported that Jordan leased an elephant named Misty from Hawthorn Corporation for a Shrine circus. On July 24, 1983, Misty killed a handler in Riverside County, Calif. In a 1996 incident, Misty attacked her trainer while giving rides to children.

October 7, 1999: The USDA cited Jordan for using a poorly ventilated trailer to transport a camel.

December 9, 1998: The USDA cited Jordan for giving dirty drinking water to the animals, filthy enclosures, and failure to maintain corrals and the transport trailer.

November 12, 1998: Jordan transferred ownership of its four tigers and four lions to Sterling & Reid Circus.

August 31, 1998: Jordan was cited for failing to provide an accurate itinerary.

August 7 & 9, 1998: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to provide adequate veterinary care. The circus was not following veterinary instructions for administering drugs or maintaining health logs to indicate treatments.

The USDA cited Jordan for improper handling. A tiger named Dutchess was forced to jump out of the bed of a pick-up truck onto a hard surface when being unloaded at a veterinary facility while she suffered from a fractured right front leg. Dutchess’ fracture went undiagnosed and untreated for four weeks.

The veterinarian confirmed that Dutchess suffered from inadequate nutrition, which appeared to have affected her bone development. The inspector noted that previously recommended veterinary care had not been administered.

August 5-6, 1998: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to provide adequate veterinary care. A tiger named Dutchess was limping and had a hard lump on her leg, her coat was dry and dull, and she was thin, with protruding bones. Jordan had not obtained appropriate veterinary care for Dutchess. Veterinary recommendations for deworming and blood tests for the animals had not been followed.

The big cats were not being fed a veterinarian-approved, nutritionally sound diet, and the hoofed animals were fed in an unsanitary manner.

Dutchess was kept in a poorly ventilated trailer with no water in 95-degree heat. When offered water, she drank "intently for longer than 2.5 minutes." The circus was cited for failure to provide adequate shelter to the llamas and camels, who were out in the sun with no shade while the temperature was in the mid-90s.

Jordan was cited for failure to handle animals in a manner that prevents behavioral stress. Beaujolais, a tiger, became very agitated when the trainer attempted to remove her from the cage, began snarling, salivating, and hyperventilating, and attacked the bars in an attempt to attack the trainer. The inspector also noted that the llamas were running loose near fairground traffic and that there were inadequate barriers between the public and the big cats.

Jordan was cited for failure to provide adequate space for two lions whose heads were bumping the top of their transport enclosure and one lion who was unable to fully extend himself while lying down. The inspector noted that lack of space and recurring lack of exercise may exacerbate Rafin’s (a lion’s) loss of muscular control after observing that Rafin had weak hindquarters and difficulty sitting down. The trainer said that four lions and two adult tigers had been confined in the transport enclosures for eight continuous days, and one tiger for an additional three days.

The circus was cited for an insufficient number of adequately trained employees, improper cage cleaning, and failure to have an emergency plan in case of an animal attack or escape.

July 29, 1998: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to provide adequate veterinary care. A tiger named Dutchess was limping, and there was no veterinary evaluation or treatment plan.

The circus was cited for failure to provide adequate water. The inspector noted that there was only one water dish for eight animals.

Jordan was cited for keeping two big cats in excessive exposure to sun in temperatures above 100 degrees and failure to provide adequate space.

July 25, 1998: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to provide adequate veterinary care. A veterinary report from July 23, 1998, did not describe tests, treatments, or followup needed for Maya, a 22-year-old tiger. There was no written veterinary diagnosis or treatment for a 2-year-old tiger named Dubonnet, who was prescribed topical medication. There was no log to indicate timely and appropriate health care.

The inspector also noted that a tiger’s transport enclosure was not structurally sound.

July 21, 1998: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to provide adequate veterinary care. A tiger named Maya was limping and lacked coordination while being observed jumping through a fire hoop, nearly missing the pedestal. The inspector noted that Maya "performed with reluctance." Another tiger also lacked coordination and snarled during the performance. Both tigers appeared "resentful." After the performance, both tigers "were not bright and alert, and the eyes of both tigers did not focus." Maya’s abnormal condition was known to her handlers, but she "was required to perform in spite of her limitations."

Jordan was cited for handling animals in an abusive manner. The inspector observed two tigers who refused to leave their cage for a performance being poked and prodded by as many as three people striking the tiger with rods for up to four minutes. The handlers then struck the cage, causing loud noise, and shook the cage for 10 minutes.

The inspector wrote, "The complaint allegations that animals were treated harshly and that animals were slow and wobbly on their feet were confirmed during this inspection."

Jordan was also cited for a damaged trailer for the big cats, and the circus was cited a second time for improper food storage.

July 1998: The USDA fined Jordan $2,475 for improper handling and veterinary care.

February 26-27, 1998: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to provide adequate space for the big cats. The circus was also cited for improper food storage, a damaged trailer for the camels, and inadequate record-keeping.

September 5, 1996: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to provide shelter and adequate space to two camels tethered to a truck with a short lead.

June 14, 1996: An elephant leased from Hawthorn Corporation knocked down and repeatedly kicked her trainer during a Jordan World Circus performance in Casper, Wyo. At the time of the incident, the elephant was giving rides to children. One child fell off the elephant.

March 16, 1996: The USDA cited Jordan for improper food storage.

February 17, 1996: The UDSA cited Jordan for failure to provide veterinary care to a "markedly underweight" tiger named Tess.

August 21, 1995: Jordan was cited by the USDA for failure to provide adequate veterinary care to the animals who had not been given an annual check for parasites.

March 19, 1995: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to correct previously identified violations of not repairing a transport trailer and inadequate barriers.

March 1, 1995: The USDA cited Jordan for failure to maintain a transport trailer, failure to provide the required itinerary, and inadequate barriers.

January 9, 1995: The USDA cited Jordan for improper food storage.

April 6, 1994: While giving rides to two children, an elephant picked up, tossed, and stepped on a Jordan World Circus animal trainer, breaking his arm and ribs and causing internal organ damage. Another trainer was also injured in the incident.

April 1993: The USDA fined Jordan $500 after an animal escaped from a cage and attacked a girl.

For more information, contact:

PETA
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-622-7382

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