In the 9/6/12 article, “Protesters against circus at Rabobank,” the reporter, Mr. Luis Garcia, incorrectly states that we at Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey declined to speak with him regarding protesters and our animal care program. Multiple attempts were made to accommodate Mr. Garcia, however he was unavailable for every proposed interview.

At Ringling Bros., we take great pride in our animals – their well-being, care, and on-going needs. Our animal care programs rival the best in the world, and we have the largest sustainable herd of Asian elephants in the Western Hemisphere. Millions of people come to our shows each year and see that our animals are thriving in our care.

Had Mr. Garcia done his due diligence and attended the animal care media availability or spoken with our animal care experts at one of the other times that was offered, he would have undoubtedly been impressed with what he saw and heard:  animals that are healthy, fit, and well adjusted and cared for by a team who cares for them – literally – 24/7. He also would have found out that Ringling Bros. has never been found in violation of the Animal Welfare Act, and that the settlement with the USDA was a business decision to move forward in our mutual goal of providing excellent care to our animals.

Everyone with Ringling Bros. has a fundamentally different viewpoint than PETA and other animal rights extremist groups about animals in captivity.

Our elephants serve as ambassadors for their species in the wild, where they are highly endangered.

Caring for our animals is a top priority. Activist groups that distribute false and inaccurate information about the animal care at Ringling Bros. will never be satisfied with animals being presented to the public no matter how humane the care.

We hope residents of Bakersfield delighted in The Greatest Show On Earth when we played at Rabobank Arena, and we look forward to returning to the area next year.

Ashley Smith

Director of Corporate Communications

Feld Entertainment