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CAMPAIGNS - ANIMALS IN ENTERTAINMENT
Sample Media Releases
(Courtesy of Troy Seidle)
Cut'n'Paste from below, or click here to download the original MS Word file (104k).
Sample #1 (rally with costumes)
For Immediate Release
[date]
Elephants and tigers and bears, oh my!
Exotic ‘animals’ to picket outside [name of circus]
[City] – An "elephant", "tiger" and "bear" will join members of the [your group’s name] in a rally to encourage [sponsor’s name] – sponsors of the [name of circus] – to discontinue its involvement with circuses that use animal acts, in favour of human-only performances.
What:Rally in support of animal-free circuses
When:[date & time of event]
Where: [name & address of location]
"The people demonstrating here tonight are not opposed to circuses per se – only to their unnecessary use of animals," states [spokesperson’s name] of [your group’s name]. "We concur with the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies that ‘animals performing or on display in a travelling environment will be deprived of a normal existence and may lack proper attention to their physical, social, and psychological needs.’"
In the wild, these animals would be free to walk and run, choose lifetime companions, and raise their families. The circus forces the animals to perform unnatural acts night after night for weeks or months on end. Between acts, elephants are often chained, while species such as tigers and bears are kept caged.
"Animals in circuses are not volunteers. They have been deprived of their precious freedom for the sake of a few cheap tricks," adds [spokesperson’s name]. More progressive circuses have already begun to redefine themselves by eliminating outdated and exploitative animal acts just as they eliminated human ‘freak shows’ years ago. Springing up in their place are creative and exciting all-human productions – the best known of which is probably Canada’s own Cirque du Soleil.
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For further information contact [spokesperson’s name & title], [phone #]
Sample #2 (banner drop)
For Immediate Release
[date]
‘Dropping’ the hint about animal acts
Animal group to hang before rush-hour traffic
[City] – High above morning rush-hour traffic, members of [your group’s name] will unfurl a giant banner reading [slogan]. The banner drop is being organized in response to discourage the public from attending the circus that is scheduled for [date] at [location] in [city].
Date:
Time:[between 7-9 am]
Place:[exact location of bridge]
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"Travelling circuses, by their very nature, deny animals anything resembling a normal life," states [spokesperson’s name] of the [your group’s name]. The physical and practical constraints of the circus environment result in animals being either chained or confined to travel cages at virtually all times when not performing; animals are forced to eat, drink, sleep, defecate, and urinate in the same tiny area. Stereotypic behaviors such as swaying back and forth, head-bobbing, pacing, and bar-biting are common in circus animals, and are indicative of frustration and psychological distress.
[Your group’s name] joins the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies and Zoocheck Canada in urging the prohibition of animal use in circuses, travelling menageries and wild animal acts. Such prohibitions already exist in 26 jurisdictions in Canada, 15 in Australia, and over 220 in the United Kingdom.
For further information contact [spokesperson’s name & title], [phone #]
Sample #3 (billboard launch)
For Immediate Release
[date]
Just say "NO" to animal acts
Billboard urges the public not to attend
circuses with performing animals
[City] – A billboard featuring a tiger cub and bearing the message ["slogan"] has gone up on [name of street & nearest cross-streets] in [name of city]. The billboard is one element in a campaign by the [your group’s name] to draw attention to the public safety and humane implications associated with the use of performing animal acts in circuses.
"Travelling circuses, by their very nature, deny animals anything resembling a normal life," states [spokesperson’s name] of the [your group’s name]. The physical and practical constraints of the circus environment result in animals being either chained or confined to travel cages at virtually all times when not performing; animals are forced to eat, drink, sleep, defecate, and urinate in the same tiny area. Stereotypic behaviors such as swaying back and forth, head-bobbing, pacing, and bar-biting are common in circus animals, and are indicative of frustration and psychological distress.
"The safety of the public – and children in particular – is jeopardized so long as non-domesticated animals are allowed to perform in close proximity to circus spectators," adds [spokesperson’s name]. "It’s no wonder that during public performances and elephant rides, spectators have been maimed or even killed by rampaging circus animals." In fact, since 1990, at least 47 people have been killed and more than 100 seriously injured by captive elephants.
"Until performing animal acts are prohibited by law, it will only be a matter of time before a similar incident occurs in our community," concludes [spokesperson’s name].
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For further information contact [spokesperson’s name & title], [phone #]
Sample #4 (alternative event)
For Immediate Release
[date]
Kids see animals in freedom on the big screen
instead of in chains under the big top
[City] – [Your group’s name] is hosting a special screening of the movie Free Willy – which follows a boy's efforts to help a lonely, captive whale to regain his freedom and return to his family in the ocean. An "elephant" and a "tiger" will greet elementary school students as they arrive for the film.
Date:
Time:
Place:
[Your group’s name] is presenting Free Willy in the hope that the film will instill in children a greater appreciation for animals and their need to be free.
"If we can teach even one child to respect the lives and welfare of other animals, we will accomplish as much for the child as the animals," explains [spokesperson’s name] of [your group’s name]. "Teaching children that animals deserve to be protected, instead of exploited, instills in them respect and compassion - qualities that will be carried over in their dealings with other people."
This event precedes the arrival of the [name of circus] in [name of city], and is intended to be a positive and educational alternative to seeing captive animals in the circus.
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For further information contact [spokesperson’s name & title], [phone #]
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