Mastercard Dumps Ringling

UPDATE: Credit-card giant MasterCard has ended its highly controversial sponsorship of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Credit Card Giant "Charged" With Supporting Circus Cruelty
According to the tagline in MasterCard International’s new "Priceless" ad campaign, "There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s MasterCard." Apparently, that includes cruelty to animals.

Despite a flood of complaints about Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’ shocking record of animal care, MasterCard continues to offer discount circus tickets to its cardholders. Maybe that tagline should really read, "Blood money can buy anything."

Undercover video footage of Ringling trainers shows an elephant being whipped in the face and gouged with metal bullhooks. Such abuse is typical. In a recent ABC evening news program, Dr. Paul Waldeau, a clinical assistant professor with Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, described how circuses force elephants to perform: "In order to keep an elephant subordinate, you need to keep it constantly either in pain or in fear of pain."

All this helps explain why Ringling has opposed legislation to ban cruel training techniques. In comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in April 2000, Ringling opposed language in the agency’s "Draft Policy on Training and Handling of Potentially Dangerous Animals" that reads, "Hot shots, shocking collars, or shocking belts should not be used for training or to handle the animals during exhibition, and any such use will be closely scrutinized. An ankus (bullhook) may not be used in an abusive manner that causes wounds or other injuries."

Ringling’s animal care record is riddled with tragic animal deaths and USDA investigations, penalties, and warnings. Ringling has also repeatedly been cited by USDA inspectors for causing animals unnecessary trauma, behavioral stress, physical harm, and discomfort, failure to provide animals with veterinary care, exercise, and sufficient space, and failure to keep proper veterinary records. Click here for details of Ringling’s deplorable history.

What You Can Do
Make a statement on your next statement explaining that you don’t support circus cruelty and demand that the company stop promoting cruelty.

Print this page and send in the pre-paid envelopes that come with credit card solicitations from MasterCard with a note that you will not use MasterCard’s services until they stop supporting animal cruelty.

Please urge MasterCard to end its marketing alliance with Ringling. If you’re a MasterCard customer, contact your bank officials and tell them to switch your MasterCard to another credit card—and let them know why:

Robert W. Selander, President and CEO
MasterCard International
2000 Purchase St.
Purchase, NY 10577
Tel.: 1-800-300-3069
Fax: 914-249-4206

Back to Top