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Animals in circuses are trained with abuse and intimidation, and they spend most of their lives in extreme confinement. They also pose a serious threat to public safety—elephants, tigers, bears, primates, and other animals have escaped and caused countless deaths and injuries to members of the public. Because federal laws are weak and poorly enforced, many state and local governments have enacted stricter laws to protect animals and the public. Over Eighteen people have been killed and 89 others have been seriously injured by captive elephants since 1990. As a result, lawsuits totaling in the many millions have been filed. Many "circus elephants" are carrying a strain of tuberculosis contagious to humans Elephants are repeatedly beaten in order to train them. These intelligent social mammals often live their whole lives in travel trailers, sometimes in the blazing heat or the freezing cold. The majority of the time, they are chained by two feet, unable to take even one step forward or back. The federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, establishes only minimal standards for the care of certain species used in circuses and other exhibitions. The AWA does not prohibit the use of bullhooks, whips, electric prods, and other devices that cause pain and injury. The AWA does not require that elephants with a history of deadly rampages be retired. Furthermore, no government agency monitors training sessions, where beatings occur behind the scenes. For more info, and what you can do to help please go to http://circuses.com/ http://captiveanimals.org .