NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VIDEO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
TODAY: PRESS CONFERENCE AT ZOO ASSOCIATION CONVENTION IN PORTLAND
ELEPHANT ADVOCATES SEEK CENSURE OF OREGON ZOO DIRECTOR FOR SUPPORT OF RINGLING BROS. CIRCUS
Date: August 4, 2009
Contact: Matt Rossell, 503-890-5151, Catherine Doyle 323-301-5730
Mike Keele testified as circus' expert witness at federal elephant abuse trial while Ringling handlers were caught on video beating and whipping elephants
What: Press Conference and outreach event at Zoo Association Convention calling for censure of acting Oregon Zoo Director Mike Keele for defending Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in federal elephant abuse trial
Where: Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland
When: Monday, September 14, 2009, 11 a.m.
Who: Representatives from In Defense of Animals, PETA and concerned Portland citizens holding signs and handing out leaflets to AZA conference attendees. Video of circus elephant abuse will be shown.
Today, In Defense of Animals (IDA) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will hold a press conference and outreach event at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) annual convention. They will release a complaint filed with the zoo association seeking censure of Mike Keele, acting Oregon Zoo director and head of the AZA's Elephant Taxon Advisory Group. The groups contend that Keele’s expert testimony in support of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at a federal elephant abuse trial in March 2009 violates the AZA's code of ethics.
As the trial was ongoing and Keele was testifying, PETA's undercover investigator was videotaping Ringling handlers routinely whipping and beating elephants. View the video at RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.
"By testifying as an expert witness for Ringling Bros. Circus, Keele gave the zoo industry's tacit seal of approval to Ringling's egregious elephant abuse, documented in mountains of evidence in federal court and captured on undercover video for the world to see," said Suzanne Roy, IDA Program Director.
"Mike Keele's actions have made a mockery of the AZA's stated commitment to promote animal welfare to the public," added Debbie Leahy, director of PETA's captive animals department.
IDA and PETA will also be protesting at Ringling's opening night performances at the Rose Garden in Portland on Wednesday, September 16th. IDA's and PETA's letter to the AZA is available upon request.