http://www.bristolpress.com/articles/2012/05/09/news/doc4fa9d9e8d1962943292771.txt

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 10:27 PM EDT

By STEVE COLLINS
STAFF WRITER

BRISTOL — City councilors said Tuesday they may not let a circus come to town this summer.

After expressing concern about alleged mistreatment of circus animals, city Councilor Henri Martin said he is not sure “we really want to promote that type of entertainment in the community.”

Representatives of PETA contacted city leaders in recent days to urge them to reject the circus’ plan to come to Bristol or at least require that it perform an animal-free version of its show.

“I’m alarmed. I’m disturbed,” said Martin, who was ready to send the circus packing.

But other councilors agreed to send the proposed Cole Brothers circus visit to downtown’s Depot Square back to committee for a more thorough review of the issues surrounding the circus.

Gary Payne, eastern vice president of the Circus Fans Association of America, said that allegations raised by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are totally false.

“Nobody loves animals more than show folks,” said Payne, a Waterbury resident.

Cole Brothers circus “regularly and repeatedly shows gross indifference to the welfare of its animals and to the grave risk it poses to the public by displaying dangerous wild animals under inadequate control and conditions,” charged Deborah Robinson, a West Hartford resident who is a captive elephant specialist for the PETA.

According to the group, the circus has “a lengthy and well-documented history of animal abuse and public endangerment” that had led to federal government sanctions, including a $15,000 penalty it recently paid for mistreating two elephants.

“Animal abuse and public endangerment go hand in hand because beaten elephants can become ticking time bombs,” according to Delcianna Winders, the PETA Foundation’s director of captive animal law enforcement.

Tim Orris, a senior booking agent for the circus, said it costs $250,000 to train an elephant.

With that much money at stake, he said, “would you abuse it?” He said the charges have no merit.

Winders said the animal protection group urged city officials “to reject this attempt by Cole. Brothers to bring a cruel and dangerous show to town.”

Robinson said that “while circuses may bring back enjoyable memories for some, the reality of circus life for wild animals is that it involves brutal training, chaining and intensive confinement for many hours at a time, and constant travel and performing under stressful conditions. Wild animals were not meant for this kind of life.”

Payne said that it would be a mistake to block the circus.

“We’re against animal abuse,” he said, pointing out that PETA considers everything from fishing to riding horses to be abusive.

Some communities around the country have given permission to circuses to perform without animals, something that Cole Brothers has apparently done at times.

The Real Estate Committee will meet later this month to consider a $3,000 deal that would let the circus hold shows June 30 and July 1 on the Depot Square site across from City Hall.

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