Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus @ Stockton Arena

«I attended the circus and it was my first and last time attending your circus as it was overall a very negative and depressing experience. The animal shows that I saw at Ringling Bros. made me sick to my stomach. I find it horrifying that elephants and tigers are made to perform unnatural tricks and threatened with whips and bullhooks. It is even more deplorable to think about the conditions in which they are housed „behind the scenes“. The whole concept of a circus with large animals performing „tricks“ for the peoples’ „entertainment“ seems like an archaic vestige from another century.
A few things that particularly stood out :
· It was incredulous that the issue of the animals’ mistreatment has become so publicly obvious that you even include disclaimers in the show about how „the elephants do what they’re told 80% of the time but they need a little help (!?) the other 20% of the time which is why we use these (innocent little) sticks that have been used in elephant training for decades“. Please — you aren’t fooling anyone with your downplaying of what the „little sticks“ actually are, or with your „Elephant Conservation Program“ paraphernalia that was repeatedly pushed on us. My five year old child actually noticed and commented on the fearful manner in which the tigers slink around. These highly intelligent animals are ruled by fear and pain alone.
· It was also interesting how sparsely attended the circus was — on a busy weekend nonetheless. Hopefully this is indicative of the fact that the circus really is going away permanently.
· It was very much of a turn-​off that your horribly overpriced products were pushed on us in such an insistent and obnoxious manner. Even had I wanted to buy my kids a $ 25/​light-​up piece of plastic from China that would break in a week, the manner in which the vendors literally yelled at us over and over would have prevented my making any purchases.
I plan on writing detailed reviews of your show on every public forum available so that I can prevent other people from supporting animal cruelty and supporting your operation.
I sincerely hope that after the 2018 legislation kicks in and you can no longer use elephants in your acts, that these animals make it into a REAL sanctuary such as the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee (TES) where they can roam and attempt to have normal lives.»

I was amazed to see all the wild animals. I thought we were beyond that. Cruelty is not entertaining

Yesterday, I went to see Circus show for the first time in Stockton (previously I saw the group performed in Oakland and Sacramento), it was spectacular, I was glad there were more people performed than animals, unlike in the past, altough I also loved to watch dogs and cats cute performances. Before the show, I visited the area where they keep animals, tigers, lions, elephants, horses and donkeys, I saw how happily tigers and lions playing together in separate cages.
The show was not a sell out show, I saw lots of vacant seats, when I bought tickets, I don’t know why I wasn’t offered better (perhaps higher prices) seats.
My only complaint about circus outing was, we needed to pay all day parking fee, $ 15.00, for being at the Stockton Arena only less than 4 ½ hours.

I took the kids to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus last night at the Stockton Arena.
I hadn’t been to the circus since the time I snuck in to the Cow Palace back in my youthful days when I lived in Daly City. Seeing the show was nostalgic. It brought those good memories I have when I used to hang with the fellas from morning till street lights came on. Ah, those days of innocence. Those «good olé days.»
My kids LOVED the show. Even my 10 year old daughter who had this fetish fear thing about clowns took a liking to one and even snapped a picture with him.
I noticed they don’t use nearly the number of animals as they use to back in the days. The show introduced Tigers & Elephants, but the rest of the animals we’re; Lama’s, Donkey’s, Mini Horses and a dog. The rest of the show focused on human entertainment and incredible costumes. And believe it or not, no PETA outside in protest which really surprised me.
Is the show the greatest show on earth? Yes, no, maybe, I don’t know. You’ll have to decide that one for yourself.