Morrissey Stands Up for Elephants

Posted by Elisa on October 12, 2012 | Permalink

Never one to shy away from sharing an opinion, Morrissey lent the spotlight at his recent Boston, Massachusetts, gig to help get the word out about elephants suffering in a circus act.

PETA US has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture after someone in the audience of a Ringling circus sent them a video showing a handler hooking and striking an elephant named Luna—who has a history of leg problems—with a bullhook. Moz’s bandmates took to the stage in T-shirts reading “Ringling Beats Animals” to spread the word.

Morrissey and his band choose to perform, but circus animals are forced to perform, often through violence. Wild animals in circuses commonly suffer from chronic health problems, abusive treatment, psychological disorders and aberrant behaviour, and many die prematurely.

Here in the UK, David Cameron has been heel-dragging and stalling on implementing a ban to get wild animals out of circuses, despite having been instructed by Parliament in 2011 to implement it. Please urge the Prime Minister to take action to protect wild animals used in circuses now.