This Just In...

[ktheodos]

...Ringling Brothers circus is closing down 'The Greatest Show on Earth,' after a 146-year run....

...all good things must come to an end I guess .....

[kimber62372]

How depressing! Well at least the poor animals will get a break!

[natashaspy]

I just saw that.  Kind of figured that would happen soon after they announced no more elephants.  It really is sad though, used to love taking my son to it..he would always get so excited.

[hitch0403]

It had to close.How was it supposed to compete with the circus we just had in Washington!!

[Yukichan77]

I'm glad it did. There's no reason that wild animals should be mistreated just for human's entertainment.

[BATISTAGIRL663]

i haven't heard that --so sad !  but times are changing and its probably time to just move on

[Nancy5]

Finally!  There have been many statements made about how badly the animals were/are treated.

[haimsterette]

I agree with some of the other posters---it's about time!!! To say the very least! I am not one who is fooled into thinking it's good, wholesome family fun. As a teenager I went with my sister to the Richmond Coliseum specifically to PROTEST that greedy and cruel business. We certainly weren't received well, as peaceful and young as we were! I'm so happy and relieved they are finally calling it quits. It went on far too long. The elephants they used in their shows are all retired, but they were still using other animals (tigers, donkeys, alpacas, etc.), so I hope they will all be relinquished to sanctuaries, where they can finally relax and nothing is expected of them. Good riddance, Ringling!!! 

[BlackSheepNY]

...Ringling Brothers circus is closing down 'The Greatest Show on Earth,' after a 146-year run....

...all good things must come to an end I guess .....

That's alright.  Leave the wild animals where they belong and not chained up and trained like a puppy dog.  For the species that's supposed to have the "higher intelligence," humans sure are stupid.

[alina6]

I was shocked to hear that as the circus has been around forever. Unfortunately their treatment of the animals gave them a bad name as well as the fact that there is a lot of competition for the amusement dollars. When I looked at their website I didn't realize they also did monster jam and Disney on ice. Hopefully they will return some day.

[crisstar]

There will come a day where kids will have to look up the meaning of the word "circus" on Wikipedia to know what it means 

[aflyingmonkey]

Onward & Upwards!   Times change, people's values change.
I would like to see an end to animals performing for people, so this is a step in the right direction for my beliefs.     I think the circus could go the route as the Cirque du Soleil - more of an emphasis on what people can do.   Cirque du Soleil shows are amazing.... and they have clowns! 

I am happy that they put the elephants in a reserve here in America, where they can be safe & "free" to be elephants. 

[SherylsShado]

It was good news to me, I haven't been happy with the way those poor animals have been mistreated "for a buck".    I was sooo excited to go to the circus when I was a kid, until I actually got there and saw how sad the animals were.

 No animal lover can go to a circus and say the animals are happy.  I never went again.  It would be different if the animals were loved & treated like family, and the joy of entertaining was on their faces & in their eyes (some of the poodles seemed happy...but also scared of their "trainer".)  Their eyes only had sadness.  That's NOT entertainment, it's animal abuse.

[sherryinutah]

The Circus without elephants would be like eating a salad without dressing.  It's possible....

but it's not the same.