From mlive.com:

Should Grand Rapids ban animals from the circus? City leaders being lobbied

Matt Vande Bunte | mvandebu@mlive.com By Matt Vande Bunte | mvandebu@mlive.com

on September 18, 2014 at 7:55 AM, updated September 18, 2014 at 10:40 AM

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A weekend demonstration outside Van Andel Arena will try to drum up support for banning circus animals from the city.

Residents wanting to “end circus cruelty” are recruiting people to sign a petition that urges Grand Rapids leaders to prohibit the display of wild animals for entertainment. They plan to protest outside the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus shows 12:30-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20.

The circus has seven shows scheduled this week in Grand Rapids: 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday. 

“We don’t want the circus in this town,” said Jon Dunn, who’s helping organize the demonstration. “We are just Grand Rapids city residents and want to see our city take a stand. 

“(The demonstration) is about awareness. It’s to let those folks that are taking their kids (to the circus) know that this isn’t really the kind of entertainment that we should be going to. Having the circus come to town every year is a black eye on this otherwise beautiful city.”

Dunn and fellow organizer Kolene Allen say circus animals are subject to abuse, and that wild animals in Grand Rapids pose a public health risk.

There have been no health concerns with the Ringling Bros. circus in Grand Rapids, said Lisa LaPlante, a Kent County Health Department spokeswoman.

“Animal control does go down there and they check USDA exhibition paperwork and health records,” she said.

City leaders in Grand Rapids are getting a large volume of emails about banning circus animals, many of them using this form letter. Mayor George Heartwell and First Ward City Commissioner Walt Gutowski said they're getting more emails about this than any other topic during their tenures.

Still, it’s not clear that commissioners are interested in taking up the issue. Gutowski said it’s not a priority for him at this time. Heartwell said he hasn't given it any thought.

“I empathize with what they’re saying, but I also empathize with children’s desires to see the circus," Third Ward Commissioner Elias Lumpkins said. "I’ve got mixed feelings about it.

"It’s just like a lot of issues we have on the agenda: There aren’t any easy solutions."

The Ringling Bros. circus has been making annual appearances at Van Andel Arena for the past several years, typically in September. The Shrine Circus for several years has performed in the winter at The Deltaplex in Walker.

Grand Rapids For Animals often protests at area circus performances. The group on its Facebook page is touting Saturday's demonstration as the area's largest circus protest ever.

Matt Vande Bunte covers government for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at mvandebu@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

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