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PETA claims that a tiger was brutally whipped by circus employees when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was in town last month, but the circus owner says the activist group has made up the accusation to get publicity.
The animal rights group has offered up to $5,000 for information about the alleged beating on February 18. The organization says a whistleblower reported “Ringling trainers repeatedly and violently whipped the tiger until the animal collapsed on the floor and lost control of his bowels.”
The circus — yes, the same one from which a zebra escaped — denies that any animals were abused and told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that PETA made up the allegations.
“I really believe this is just an activist tactic,” said Crystal Drake, regional public relations manager for Feld Entertainment, which owns the circus. “Don’t make up things about abuse that is not happening.”