Letter to the Editor: Regarding PETA's Ringling Protest

It’s sad that PETA would use the recent Florida Neighborhoods Conference, which welcomed Feld Entertainment Chairman and CEO Kenneth Feld as its keynote speaker, as a forum to express its extremists views. Though the protestors are entitled to their own opinion, they are not entitled to their own facts. 

Specifically, Ringling Bros. has never been found in violation of the animal welfare act. A team of dedicated men and women work daily to provide all of our animals, including at the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation, the very best of care.  If it were not so misleading it would be humorous when a PETA staff member claims that a court should hear their allegations against Ringling Bros. considering groups allied with PETA tried for years to sue the circus and lost, badly. 

Not only did the ASPCA pay a $9.3 million settlement to Feld Entertainment as a result of its frivolous lawsuit, a US District Court judge found that the case was “groundless and unreasonable from its inception.” PETA knows nothing about what it takes to care for elephants or tigers nor do its members care about the huge economic impact Feld Entertainment’s new global headquarters in Ellenton will bring to the greater Bradenton community.

Stephen Payne 

Vice President, Corporate Communications 

Feld Entertainment, Inc.