“Performing dogs were often strays or purchased from the pound, because these mixed breed dogs were usually very intelligent and learned tricks quickly. The dogs traveled in special accommodations. Wagons 99 and 98 were designed specifically for the dogs, with each animal having its own space in the wagon. In between performances, the dogs were kept [...]
A vintage cartoon, lathered in political incorrectness, that takes place at the circus… Does it get any better than that? Krazy Kat, and his sidekick Ignatz Mouse, were notable American comic strip characters, heavily published between 1913 and 1944. They were animated several times, as the above 1916 clip demonstrates. They garnered a good deal [...]
Released in 1946, Children of Paradise is a classic French film that takes place in the seedy underground of the old theatre and street performance circles of Paris. It is a saga (running nearly 3 hours) that involves timeless elements of love and betrayal, all told through beautiful cinematography, with a healthy abundance of vintage circus [...]
It’s officially Spring again and seasonal diets are not just for humans anymore. According to France 24, Three overweight elephants at a Swiss circus will have to diet and work out in order to shed between 50 and 300 kilogrammes (110-660 pounds), Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger reported Wednesday. To help them lose weight, Circus Knie [...]
That’s right; rise up, carnie nation! An angry snake charmer from India named Hakkal had his “99 percent” moment when bureaucrats at the Government Land Registry Office refused to process his land-request application. So Hakkal took matters into his own hands: He dumped three sacks full of 40 venomous snakes, including cobras, into the [...]
Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the final dress rehearsal for the Ringling Brother’s latest show, Dragons. This spectacle celebrates the Chinese Year of the Dragon and that particular rehearsal was the first time the cast had performed the show in front of a live audience. While I enthusiastically attend any and all circus [...]
After witnessing the Rosaire Family’s Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary in Sarasota last week, I’ve been quite enchanted by researching circus animal acts. Now most people associate circus animals with elephants, horses, poodles and perhaps a chimpanzee, but recently I stumbled into a less expected candidate for circus acts: The American Eskimo! Check [...]
After a leisurely afternoon of admiring ligers, petting goats and snuggling with emus at Sarasota’s Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary, my sisters and I were treated to a demonstration by the Rosaire Family and a few of their feline friends. This ninth-generation circus family has been training and rescuing exotic animals for several [...]
Here’s a freaky, feel-good story to warm the heart this holiday season: In a reversal of fortunes, a once-unwanted cat has come to the rescue of an animal shelter in need of a new home. However, this orange-and-white tabby named Daniel is no typical cat. He has a near-record 26 toes, a phenomenon that is [...]
And the animal issue rears it’s head in the circus industry once again. According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune, The owner of the Ringling Bros. circus has agreed to pay a $270,000 fine to settle allegations that it violated federal animal-welfare laws in its handling of elephants, tigers, zebras and other exotic animals. The U.S. [...]