The abuse that goes into the exploitation of performing elephants in circuses is a stain on the American conscience. They are often taken from their families, which are slain in the raid, and trained using horrible techniques that scar and "break" these emotional, sentient, intelligent animals for life.
A life in a circus, for an elephant or a tiger or a monkey, is a life of slavery and exploitation. Cirque de Soleil and other organizations have proven that you don't need to exploit animals to create good family entertainment.
Zoos are often barbaric towards elephants, but zoos can be fixed. Circuses cannot. Please sign this petition to begin the process of raising awareness for the horrific torture of these incredible animals.