A tiger has been shot down after escaping transport from one cruel circus to another.
After the collapse of Ringling Bros., the decision was made to send 14 tigers to Zirkus Krone in Germany. Animal advocates hoped that the tigers would be sent to a sanctuary to live free from the ruthless entertainment industry. However, their pleas were ignored — and now, tragedy has struck.
In the early hours of the morning last week, six-year-old Bengal tiger Suzy escaped during transportation from Florida; she ended up wandering into a residential area in Atlanta, where the tiger pounced at a dog in the backyard of somebody’s home. The dog was not injured.
Shortly after the police arrived at the scene, they made the decision to shoot her.
Stephen Payne, a spokesperson for Feld entertainment and Ringling Bros, admits that they have no idea how the tiger escaped, demonstrating the carelessness of those responsible for her transport.
Notorious for their cruelty to animals, Ringling Bros. crumbled in 2016. Due to the pressures of animal rights activists and decades of protests against the cruelty inflicted on circus animals, ticket sales plummeted, leaving Ringling with no choice but to accept defeat.
“The use of wild animals for entertainment causes immense animal suffering at every stage, from capture from the wild to handling, transport, and breeding, to a lifetime in captivity. We must keep wild animals in the wild – and not in captivity for entertainment,” says Elizabeth Hogan, U.S. Wildlife Campaign Manager, World Animal Protection.

Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus Over the Top Tiger. chensiyuan
Alex Lacey, owner of the tigers, can be seen on YouTube hitting lions and tigers with sticks. Like many circuses that feature exotic animals as part of their show, Ringling Bros frightens and hurts the animals into performing unnatural and humiliating acts. Lacey’s family has been breeding tigers for generations in the entertainment industry. While circus animals may seem domesticated and relatively obedient inside a circus arena, these animals are wild and, given the opportunity, will follow their natural instinct to attack and escape.
Sadly, this is not the first tragedy of Ringling Bros. In 2011, an Asian elephant, Sarah, collapsed after giving a circus performance. Matt Rossel, campaign director of Animal Defender’s International, explained “the stress and fatigue has likely led to this dangerous fall.”
While Ringling claims “that the animals are managed with rewards and through trust…what is actually occurring is environmental and physiological neglect, psychological abuse and coercing the tigers to behave through dominance and fear-based techniques,” says Jay Pratte, an animal trainer with over 25 years’ experience.
Animal circuses depend on the ignorance of their audiences to survive; if people are unaware of the extent of animal cruelty involved in taming exotic animals, then ticket sales will continue, and animals will continue to be harmed.
This deeply saddening incident demonstrates the harrowing reality of the possession and abhorrent treatment of circus animals. Like many others, Suzy’s life was sacrificed for human entertainment.
STOP THIS!!!!!!
A horrible happening. Of course, the tiger is going to escape from the hell he has been subjected to. Killing didn’t have to happen….such uncaring people in this world.
Amimals were not put on this earth to entertain us nor make money for a circus. Let these animals retire to a proper sanctuary. Change your act to be humane acts not animals. People dont want to s
Pay to see animals abused to be trained for circus acts.
They didn’t have to kill her they could have used a tranquilliser. Poor little girl. ????
La crueldad para con los animales tiene infinitas formas, y muchas veces se lo justifica con argumentos que aumentan el grado de maldad que implica, como es el caso de la diversión de los humanos. Ni circos, ni Zooos, ni ninguna forma de abuso y maltrato a un inocente animal.
I thought the tigers and the other animals weren’t entertaining anymore. RB hands them over to a circus. This is so wrong. NO ANIMALS IN ENTERTAINMENT!!!!
This is a perfect example of why all circuses need to be shut down. They have no business in handling animals.
i donate every month to save tigers, and now this….horrible
A tiger can break a grown man’s neck with one swipe of one of their large paws I could never understand just why any organization would want to take the chance of someone being killed by one of these big cats. Its nothing but pure greed that drives this cruelty at least now this one animal can rest in peace but the others will live out the rest of their days being the subject of this never ending cruelty.
The people that killed that tiger are unforgivable. Such low-life people are in every country.
How can we be rid of such stupid, thoughtless creeps?
Ringling bros is another big disgusting disappointment.
PLEASE PLEASE STOP THE CRUEL ABUSE OF THESE BEAUTIFUL MAJESTIC ANIMALS!
Please STOP this insanity! Must man continue to be so cruel!??
Please send them to a sanctuary where they can all live out their last years of life in peace… without being tortured for entertainment!
La verdad el ser humano ya no tiene nada dentro del cuerpo es peor que una maquina sin sentimientos ni valores humanos ni respecto a nada ni a nadie—-asi segiremos hasta que alguien nos diga basta ustedes deben esaparecer del planeta porque no sirven para nada
Why can’t humans leave wild animals wild? Or in sanctuaries that respect them for who and what they are! These so called trainers think they know these animals. If they did they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. It’s profit and ego for them. What a despicable way to earn a living!
Freaking humans are “EVIL” Hope you all involved suffer nightmares !!! Stop being so cruel to God’s innocent animals ……
Is there a petition to sign??? I don’t know if I understand this website
This is very sad, but going from one hell to another, I think it was suicide. Why are these animals being sent to another hell? Shame on Ringling, if they are to continue in the circus business, even if they do not use any animals, I WILL NEVER VISIT THEM AGAIN AND WILL PRESS EVERYONE I KNOW TO DO THE SAME. Boycott everyone who works or does any business with them AND THEIR FAMILIES TOO.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
THIS ANIMAL DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE!!! STOP THIS EVIL CRIME!!!!
this is so infuriating..!
it is disgusting that in this day and age animals are still exploited in captivity by the circus. People should not go to the circus that has wild animals performing acts for entertainment. It is vile that it is still allowed but of course man has always commited cruel acts for money whilst the law allows
Ringling claims that “…the animals are managed with rewards and through trust…” – BULLSHIT !!
Why couldn’t they just let that poor tiger, ( & all the other ones) from Ringling Bros. just go live out the rest of their lives in a sanctuary? Haven’t they suffered enough!!! All of the animals from that horrible circus should be set free to live what’s left of their lives in peace, not made to perform stupid tricks for ignorant people till they drop dead from either abuse, neglect or depression. How very sad!!
IF THE TIGER DIDNT HARM THE DOG, WHY DIDNT THE DAMN COP TRANQUILIZE THE TIGER??!! SO SICK OF SEEING ANIMAL ABUSE STORIES!!! STUPID FN TRASHY CIRCUS WORKERS!!! TORTURE AND KILL ALL ANIMAL ABUSERS!!!! WIPE THESE ASSHOLES OFF THE PLANET AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A LOVING AND PEACEFUL WORLD!!!
Another beautiful creature dies because of mankinds’ cruelty and utter stupidity. And another strong argument for getting rid of ALL circuses who continue to use and abuse animals… Ringling assholes!
It’s beyond revolting to have shot this poor animal. Why didn’t they use a tranquilzing gun and transported him to an appropriate place?
These police officers are so demonic.
Why couldn’t these heartless ‘owners’ of these precious animals, just once make a decision that would have given Suzy and the other tigers a chance to live out their lives in a sanctuary? Greed and the belief that they own any creature and can do what they want for their own benefit, not the animals.
Horrible to force animals to perform for entertainment at places of entertainment. Tears at my heart another shot and killed animal.
Thank God that the dog was unharmed. Shame on those who were responsible for her transfer and allowed her to be able to escape. At the same time good on her for escaping the cruelty she likely suffered in her life. What a shame that the police didn’t use tranquilizers instead of real bullets. I think the police need training in how to deal with animals both domesticated and wild. Bullets aren’t the answer!!
I hate these SOB’S, scum of the earth pricks. They mistreat these poor beautiful animals, then ship them off to be mistreated some more, that is if their not killed before they get there. What in the hell is wrong with people. I really hate humans, especially money hungry ass holes, who will do anything for a buck. They would probably sacrifice one of their own for a dollar.
This is so very sad….I am so glad that Ringling Bros is gone. That company abused animals for YEARS. I hope this tiger is now free & at peace in a better place than this world gave her.
So instead of sending these poor animals to a Sanctuary the owner had to continue to try to make money off them?
Is there ANY WAY TO GET THE OTHER TIGERS TO A SANCTUARY?
I am just such about this……Dana
WHAT HAPPENED TO SEDATIVE DART GUNS
JUST ONE MORE REASON THIS COMPANY DOESNT DESERVE POSSESSION OF SUCH INNOCENT CREATURES WHOM ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IDIOTS IN CHARGE.
AGAIN THE GALARNEAU FAMILY REQUESTS PROSECUTION OF THE OVER ZEALOUS ACTION OF SAID EMPLOYEES.
THE GALARNEAU FAMILY
Thank you & your family for all you do to help & protect ALL animals. Keep up the good work.
Dana Voigt. Tucson,Az
[email protected]
It was the police who shot her not the idiots who were transport her.
There’s another petition for this issue on a site called Forcechange.com which I signed. However I was surprised and saddened at several people who defended the shooting of this animal. There was one poster trying to make others not sign the petition. I felt that was wrong. If you don’t agree don’t sign. But dont load the site with comments telling others not to sign.
This all makes me sick. Why do humans feel that animals were put on this earth to torture, to use, to kill, to eat. There must be a great awakening among humans or we will have no wildlife left. Let animals live their natural lives, however with growing human populations the animals hardly have a chance. their habitats are all being lost due to overpopulation of humans, greed, arrogance, exploitation and more. It all stinks
So so so very very sad. Makes me feel sad.