2016-04-19

Over the years, our performing company has received all kinds of strange mail.

This was a letter which we received in 2016, from a passionate protector of pachyderms:

Brodie *elided*
4.19.16

Why elephants should not be in the circus

Probably a lot of you think that at a circus elephants are treated with love and care, but they are really abused and not fed enough. Gypsy is a elephant that got save from a circus. She was saved by Paws Sanctuary. Elephants should not be at a circus. Elephants should not be at a circus because of abuse. Elephants need the right type of dirt for their feet. Elephants don't get fed enough at the circus.

Elephants get abused at the circus. Elephants get abused at the circus by if elephants are not doing the ring thing they will get abused. They are held as prisoners. This is beyond sad because they die from abuse.

Elephants need the right type of dirt for a reason elephants elephants need dirt for sunscreen. Elephants use dirt for hot weather. Some circuses don't have dirt. Elephants have very sensitive skin. The mother of a baby elephant puts dirt on the baby elephants when they come out of the water.

According to National Elephants Center "Elephants may spend 12-18 hours a day feeding. Adult elephants ca eat between 200-600 pounds of food a day. As herbivores, elephants consume grasses, tree foliage, bark, twigs, and other vegetation daily. Elephants can also drink up to 50 gallons of water a day- about as much as a standard bathtub holds." They don't fill up a bathtub full of water for them to drink. Or given them 200-600 pounds of food. Think if you were a elephant and you had to work all day and did not have enough food to fill you up all the way or not enough water.

We need to stop letting circuses hurt animals so we need to number one donate money to sanctuary. Number two don't go to circuses go to sanctuary. Just to remind, you circuses abuse elephants, they don't have dirt, they don't feed them enough. So go to visit sanctuary in San Andreas, California.

(handwritten)
By the way II. I want you to stop hurting my favorite animal(elephats)!

Moved by Brodie's passion, we put together a care package in return, which included the reassuring response below.

Brodie,

My first memory of the circus was, as a young boy, seeing elephants at Madison Square Garden in New York City. They were brought out as part of a grand parade, and I had never seen the likes of such massive and majestic beasts.

It took much of my life after that day for me to figure out that I was supposed to be a clown, and only as I read your letter did I remember that first glimpse of real circus magic. First and foremost, thank you for reminding an old performer of such important memories!

Reading your letter, it's also clear that you're extremely passionate about your love of animals. I think that's wonderful, and I'm glad you are out there doing what you can to protect our elephant friends.

For my part, I'm proud to report that I spend every day working in a 100% animal-free circus. We are entirely staffed by people in costumes, clowns like myself, vintage clockwork dolls, and magical dancing trees.

We've never had an elephant, but if we ever did he'd be imaginary. And allowed to roam free. And given peanut butter sandwiches whenever he asked.

You suggested that people could go to animal sanctuaries instead of circuses. This sounds like a terrific idea, if you would like to visit an elephant. Of course, after you say hello to the elephants, you could come visit a "people circus" like ours.

That way, both the elephants and the clowns will have company.


Your Friend,
Russ Sharek
Boss Clown, Circus Freaks

A couple of years later, we took Brodie's advice and visited an elephant sanctuary for circus elephants.

While there, we learned first hand how well these noble creatures are treated, both during and after their circus careers.

I also made friends with a retired performer named DelRita. Her larger-than-life personality and sassiness made a huge impression on me, and I've been an even more ardent admirer of elephants since.