Support Bill to Ban Animal Circuses in the US
Sign the Petition
Join Species Unite in urging Congress to reintroduce and finally pass the Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act.
UPDATE (3/13/25): Tragically, Representative Raúl M. Grijalva, a lifelong champion for animals and the original sponsor of the Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act in the House of Representatives, has passed away. Species Unite is deeply saddened by the loss of this tireless advocate. We hope his colleagues will carry forward his compassionate work by reintroducing and passing this vital legislation as a testament to his legacy and in honor of his enduring commitment to animal welfare.
In traveling circuses across the United States, a wide range of wild and exotic animals, including elephants, big cats, bears, and primates, suffer miserable lives on the road. They’re carted from one place to another in cramped cages and repeatedly exploited for human entertainment. These animals are frequently overworked, underfed, and kept in appalling conditions. When they’re not confined, they’re subjected to violent training methods to learn unnatural, demeaning, and painful tricks they’re forced to perform again and again for audiences who often have no idea what these animals endure behind the scenes.
Elephants, in particular, face some of the most egregious abuse. Handlers break baby elephants’ spirits by chaining their legs for up to 23 hours a day, beating them, or shocking them with electric prods. Adult circus elephants are frequently stabbed with bullhooks to keep them in line and their wounds are hidden from public view with makeup. While increased awareness and public pressure have led some circuses to remove elephants from their shows, many still suffer in smaller, traveling acts. And most of the other species forced to endure the shocking cruelty of circus life have not yet received the attention or action they deserve.
The greatest hope for ending this abuse is the Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act (TEAPSPA). This bipartisan bill would prohibit the use of exotic or wild animals in performances of a traveling animal act, such as a circus, carnival, or parade. Despite the overwhelming evidence that this bill is in the public’s best interest, it has failed to reach a final vote in Congress multiple times.
Beyond the cruelty, TEAPSPA also addresses serious financial and public safety concerns. Because of the constant movement of traveling circuses, it’s extremely difficult and costly for law enforcement to monitor for health, safety, and welfare violations. For example, the USDA spent over $57,000 inspecting just one circus, Carson & Barnes, between 2007 and 2010. These costs are borne by taxpayers, forcing the public to subsidize animal cruelty.
And the danger doesn’t stop at cost. Wild animals used in circuses are emotionally complex beings who endure severe psychological trauma from constant confinement, abuse, and neglect. These stressed, malnourished, and terrified animals have been known to attack out of fear and desperation, putting circus workers and audiences members at risk of injury or even death.
Congress has the power to end this cruelty. TEAPSPA was most recently introduced in the 117th Congress by Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva and David Schweikert.
Following the tragic passing of Representative Grijalva—a lifelong advocate for animals—Species Unite urges Representative Schweikert to reintroduce this critical legislation in the119th Congress in his former colleague’s honor. Doing so would carry forward Rep. Grijalva’s legacy and protect countless elephants, bears, monkeys, and other wild and exotic animals from a lifetime of suffering.
Take Action Now
Please sign this petition and join Species Unite in calling on Representative Schweikert to reintroduce the Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act. Together, we can show him that we support his efforts, and that we refuse to give up on ending the abuse of animals in traveling circuses.