By LISA CARTON For the Express | Posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 4:00 am
The Hailey City Council on Monday approved a permit request for the Jordan World Circus to bring its traveling show to the city in June. The circus has plans to use the Hailey Rodeo Arena for the event this summer.
A tie vote among council members was broken by Mayor Fritz Haemmerle.
The permit request was contested by local animal rights activists. The Elephant Student Project asked the City Council to deny the permit to Jordan World Circus, based on its “inhumane” treatment of its circus animals, and the dangers posed to the public, should they escape.
The students spoke at the meeting against permit approval, saying that circuses promote animal abuse. The students have also recently made anti-circus-animal presentations to the Ketchum and Sun Valley city councils and the Blaine County Board of Commissioners, suggesting that the entities pass laws that would ban performances featuring exotic animals. Ketchum has already adopted a ban on the use of exotic animals for entertainment in the city.
“There’s nothing in there that I saw that would really prohibit the granting of a permit for a circus that has all its appropriate state and federal permits,” Haemmerle said.
During the meeting, Haemmerle noted that he is fond of circuses and said the events are positive entertainment for kids. He said he is not willing to go against established regulations based on “public correctness.”
Maya Burrell, a Ketchum resident who has opposed the circus with the students, said the permit violates the city’s own law.
“Wild animal circuses are a danger to the public, and especially so this year where there is significant onsite construction of an ice rink occurring at the city’s arena,” she said in a joint statement with The Elephant Student Project. “This irresponsible vote by the mayor and council is risking public safety and is putting the city of Hailey at risk of liability. Willful ignorance is not an adequate defense. Our students will continue their efforts until the city gets it right.”
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