WASHINGTON—The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
commends Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) for introducing
legislation today that would bar the use of polar bears in
traveling shows or circuses. The Polar Bear Protection Act was
written in response to an ongoing cruelty situation in Puerto
Rico, where seven polar bears, used as a main attraction of the
Mexico-based Suarez Brothers Circus, have been subjected to
such inhumane treatment that their plight has prompted
nationwide pressure for an immediate intervention and rescue.
“It is a tragedy that anyone would take polar bears, the
universal symbol of Arctic wildlife, a world away from their
natural habitat and force them into a life of doing tricks for
entertainment,” said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS senior vice president.
“We commend Representative Blumenauer for introducing this
legislation that if passed into law will prevent other polar
bears from having to endure the misery associated with constant
travel, coercive training and intolerably warm climates.”
The bill was introduced today with about 40 original
cosponsors. Previously, more than 70 members of the U.S. House
and Senate signed letters urging the federal government to take
action to ensure the humane treatment of the bears.
Last week, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service confiscated
one of the bears and relocated her to The Baltimore Zoo, after
the Suarez Brothers Circus was found to have filed false
documents for an import permit for the bear. The Circus has
been using the polar bears in their act in Puerto Rico for
approximately 10 months since obtaining a permit from the U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) to import the animals and
have them on public display. During the import permit
application process and ever since, there has been a national
outcry about the treatment of the bears, with evidence of the
Circus committing numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act
(AWA). Most recently, the Circus was on trial in Puerto Rico on
local charges of animal cruelty involving the polar bears.
Six bears remain in the Circus, living in horrendous
conditions for Arctic animals. The polar bears have been kept
in high, tropical temperatures at times reaching 112 degrees,
often without air conditioning or access to pools of cold
water, and confined to transport vehicles for extended periods
of time, in one instance for 55 hours.
“This is a unique piece of legislation that could go a long
way in preventing this sort of animal abuse in the future,”
said Naomi Rose, HSUS marine mammal scientist. “We are thankful
for the support of so many legislators on this issue.”
“We are also delighted to be working so closely with the
Detroit Zoo and its executive director, Ron Kagan,” Pacelle
added. “We hope some of the bears find their way from Puerto
Rico to Detroit.” The Detroit Zoo has the nation’s premier
Arctic mammal exhibit.
The Suarez Brothers Circus has recently applied to the USFWS
for an export permit to take the bears to perform on the
Caribbean island of St. Maarten, part of the Netherlands
Antilles. The HSUS has asked USFWS to deny the application,
which at minimum must be withdrawn and resubmitted without the
fraudulent paperwork, and to rigorously investigate the Circus’
alleged violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the
Lacey Act, which protects animals in trade.
