$9.3 Millon Dollars to settle a law suit and not admit fault. Oh well, It is only Tax Dollars and donated money anyway, what do they care. Guess I will cut ASPCA out of my will now.

I'm with you, dewey. $9.3 million is a lot of money. Where's it coming from?

And yes, it's a whole lot to pay when they say they didn't do anything wrong. Apparently the ASPCA and the other animal rights groups fabricated a "justicable controversy" in order to be in federal court, attempting to get around the earlier dismissal of their own case in that same court.

Whether or not having elephants as part of the circus is cruelty probably is not a question for a court to decide.

Um, NOT tax dollars, but don't be bothered about facts.

Tax exempt dollars. 35% of that or whatever would be tax should belong to the govt. 2 or 3 million. The horrible part is that this is money that people earned and trusted to them because they believed in the cause and the charity wasted it. This is behavior i would expect out of PeTA but the ASPCA actually does good work. What a shame.

The money (lots of it) comes from donations. According to ASPCA's 2011 IRS Form 990 (available on its website), the ASPCA had total revenue of $148,247,629 and reports 12 employees making more than $200,000 including the CEO with total compensation above $600,000. Also, like most organzations of this size, the ASPCA probably has liability insurance that will pay most, if not all, of the settlement. Not making any judgments, just stating facts.

Why so much money? I can support a wild tiger for eight cents a day. Here, I even have his picture.

Hey cheetah, for 8 cents a day, you could have got a picture of a kid!

Oh well, It is only Tax Dollars and donated money

first, it was probably an Insurance settlement and...

Second, the ASPCA head should be required to follow the Elephants in parades for a year and shovel their @!$%# as additional retribution.

I am glad to see this happen and I hope the remaining defendants in the lawsuit are forced to pay similar amounts, including the former employee who was involved with this sham lawsuit. Ringling Brothers has a reputation for taking very good care of the animals in the circus. The animals probably get better care and more individual attention from the circus personnel than they would from caretakers in a zoo. The original lawsuit was nothing more than animal welfare groups going out and finding someone to play plaintiff so that they could push their political agenda against the use of animals in circuses. I doubt that the plaintiff in the original suit ever even thought that the animals were in any way abused until he was approached by these animal welfare groups. Then he saw that he could play this into a meal ticket so he played along with the sham lawsuit. I hope that the a-hole ends up penniless for going along with this politically motivated suit.

Have you even seen the videos of elephants being abused? Rather be a "goofball" than a 'cold-hearted snake!'

www. youtube.com/watch?v=ZZF_KvjhL18

Out-of-control tort system - when a group of plaintiffs fail in a suit like this, they should be ordered to pay all court costs and all legal costs of the defendants, even if there is no counter-suit.

Since these non-profit orgs are using the donations for lobbying (through the courts), their tax-exempt status should be reviewed by the IRS.

Anna - how is this circus-owner greedy? Defending this frivolous politically-motivated lawsuit cost him millions, and he lost business because of the publicity. If there is a similar settlement from all the parties involved, the circus will still be very lucky to break even.

I'm glad to see the circus prevailed over this frivolous and libelous attack. I'm somewhat surprised to see it was the ASPCA that was the culprit since this is something I would have expected from the PETA crazies, not the ASPCA.

And what about the joke of not admitting guilt? The amount (9.3 million) certainly speaks volumes about guilt everywhere but in the minds of sleazy lawyers, doesn't it?

However, it matters little to the lawyers because, win or lose, they always make sure they get paid.

Time2talk: I love how you animal rights people find videos without attribution and put the blame on ALL circuses.

Its kind of like finding a video of abused children and then saying there should be no parents allowed to have children.

The BS is the same. Paint with a broad stroke, treat everyone the same, find a pathetic picture of an animal, put it up, ask for money.

Wet One, "guilt" is a feature of criminal law and this isn't just nitpicking. If ASPCA were guilty of criminal acts it would certainly spell the end of their tax-exempt status. But maybe that should be looked at just the same. And the CEO of this non-profit makes how much? Does he ride around in a chauffeured limo, too? Remember the scandal at United Way charities!

Truly, a mere "apology" won't pay Feld's defense costs or damage to their reputation, though how many in the general public knew of these allegations is questionable.

It seems these groups are finally getting the big picture of life. When you fabricate evidence to make accusations it will bite you in the arse. These groups remind me of the Eco-terrorist groups back before the Patriot Act was put in place behind our backs. Bottom line I am all for saving endangered species but these misguided groups should get real jobs and contribute to society in a meaningful way.

Grow up and become responsible adults instead of chasing your childhood dreams. It seems they have gotten their comeuppance. on this one and have learned their lesson from this. I have worked endangered species for years which I found to be satisfying but to do this kind of crap is not what I would label as contributing to society in a meaningful way.

Unfortunately, this is where they are heading...paid people to file lawsuits. It should have been much, much more as penalty for falsely suing.

That's part of what's wrong in America. All these phony lawsuits for money or pushing an agenda.

Intellect-1949393

It seems these groups are finally getting the big picture of life. When you fabricate evidence to make accusations it will bite you in the arse.

It seems everybody here is very familiar with the details of the case, is 100% certain that evidence was fabricated (they lost the case so obviously it was fabricated right?). Personally, as I mentioned in my first post, I was not familiar with the case, but decided to look for information about it.

Among other things I found out that:

The ASPCA was one of several animal rights groups that sued Feld Entertainment in 2000, alleging that circus elephants were abused

and that:

Feld's cases, which include allegations of litigation abuse and racketeering, will continue against the other defendants -- the Humane Society of the United States, the Fund for Animals, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Animal Protection Institute United with Born Free USA and Tom Rider, a former circus employee who testified against Ringling Bros.

So if you don't mind I will reserve my judgement.

And I will definitely continue donating to the ASPCA, and the other animal rescue organisations (including a shelter in my area). Thousands (probably millions, and definitely millions worldwide) of animals are abandoned (and/or neglected, and/or abused, every year), and I will not punish them because ASPCA lost a case.

Intellect-1949393

It seems these groups are finally getting the big picture of life. When you fabricate evidence to make accusations it will bite you in the arse. These groups remind me of the Eco-terrorist groups back before the Patriot Act was put in place behind our backs. Bottom line I am all for saving endangered species but these misguided groups should get real jobs and contribute to society in a meaningful way.

Grow up and become responsible adults instead of chasing your childhood dreams. It seems they have gotten their comeuppance. on this one and have learned their lesson from this. I have worked endangered species for years which I found to be satisfying but to do this kind of crap is not what I would label as contributing to society in a meaningful way.

Wow, Intellect, your post basically summed up a lot of what I was going to say on the matter, minus the having worked for endangered species, anyway. Also, while the circus might be greedy and abuse animals and may misuse the criminal justice system, groups like PETA (which still might be a defendant in the lawsuit) are nothing but a bunch of no-good, lying hypocrites that pretend to put the rights of animals above humans and then go around and abuse and/or kill the animals that they pretend to protect. They also are pro-choice (read pro-murder) when it comes to human beings as well as being in favor of euthanizing the infirm and/or medically challenged human beings because they do not fit their definition of what is perfect. However, if we gave them a chance, they might just be like Hitler and begin to exterminate people due to the color of their skin as well instead of treating humans like humans. Things like this remind me that our justice system is completely abnormal and it must be fixed, even IF we have to rewrite the Constitution in order to do so, too. Yes, you read me right, the Constitution MUST be rewritten in order to have a more fair justice system and to not let the dollars, graft, corruption, greed, special interests, payola, monopolization, oligarchy, nepotism, the government, powerful individuals, or megacorporations do the talking within the justice system. We need to be honest, firm, and fair on how we, as a country, handle our legal matters. Sadly, I see all of the morons trying to manipulate humans like me and end up killing each other in the process all the more in the end. I say that there truly is no justice in the world and both sides are corrupt and evil in this matter and that neither PETA nor BABRBC are the good guys here and that humanity will kill itself and then nature will soon follow thereafter and thus the whole cosmos will end.

Is everyone missing the point here? The suit against them was valid, the court just deemed that the witness was not credibly because he didnt love elephants enough. What a crock. and then, they just went about it the wrong way, i am sure that the guy was being paid by the aspca because he couldnt find work anywhere elese, since his main source of employment was gone because of the initial lawsuit. So the aspca paid him, which i guess is wrong. But the fact still remains, THEY MISTREATED THE ELEPHANTS, THEY JUST GOT AWAY WITH IT FROM A TECHNICALITY!!! The reason you missed that is because the article is tainted in the way its written and thus is confusing. Are you all morons?

Hey show me a place where you can support a tiger or a kid for 8 cents a day ...and i'll move there! Ringling headquarters has been in Baraboo Wi. for years. I have been there twice and have personally met and talked to every elephant there.They assure me their very happy and healthy. They can't wait to get the 9 mil. so they can buy more hay and @!$%#..maybe get a couple more midgets to wash them down..or whatever.Has that mangy circus made anywhere close to 9 mil. in it's lifetime? They had major financial probs. a few years back. I like the ASPCA but after reading what they pay their staff i'm cutting back on my donations.

Mr. Warden-2811265

I like the ASPCA but after reading what they pay their staff i'm cutting back on my donations.

I don't know how much their employees are paid, but everyone is there voluntarily, no one is forcing them to work there. I think they all love animals and are glad to do their part to help them. Many shelters also accept volunteers (i.e. no salary, or very small salary). If you stop your donations, it is the animals who will be punished.

Ah yes. "Whatever". The typical 'I can't really defend what these libtards did" response. Mommy should be so proud. Oh, and I quess you must be D.B. Cooper, how scary, I'll notify the authorities.

Those elephants are lucky to have D.B Cooper to talk to about their cruel situation. So... when exactly was it that the elephants told you they hated the circus bilbao72?

And what would you know about their ever decreasing natural habitat? Change your photo.

It is obvious that bilbao did not read the entire article. If he did, he would have read that most of the 45 elephants that are currently in the circus were born in captivity. They would not know how to survive in the natural habitat of their wild ancestors.

Freak show? Whose the freak DB wannabe. Last time I saw a kid cheer about going the the circus, he didn't mention the freaks. But if they did I'm sure it was because you were in the audience.

Unless you talking about the elephant man?

I've seen these elephants they treat them very well. they live in heated living quarters in the winter and have all the food and water they can drink. the people that handle them love them and take really good care of them.

And what exactly is stupid about a no-kill shelter? Are you implying we should kill even more animals?

Because they eventually become "all kill" facilities, where due to chronic overcrowding and failure to adopt the animals die from disease, become cage crazy, and or go bankrupt because for lack of long term funding. In other words, completely idiotic, ergo, stupid.

Wild animals born in captivity are not "probably quite happy", Viewer_Ready. What a ridiculous statement. No living thing is quite happy in captivity. Wild, undomesticated animals deserve to be free.

A no-kill shelter as in the PETA shelter in Virginia that killed 95% of the animals brought to them for adoption, cuz they needed the money for running goofy ads and paying their board of directors huge sums.

@nmc and how exactly do you think they become domesticated? Why that would happen by being born in captivity as these elephants were. Dogs seem just fine to me in captivity and at one time they were also completely wild. I think the term "quite happy" would work for elephants born in captivity who are treated well because that is all they know. They would all die if they were "free".

@Viewer, I wasn't aware there was a distinction between the two. Thanks for enlightening.

"Are you implying we should kill even more animals?"

The faster the better - if you're concerned for the animal.

It really is unfortunate for the poor animals that need the ASPCA/HS help. As someone who regularly donates to their cause would hope that before they accuse anyone of animal cruelty they would make sure they have a solid case of abuse.

Glad to see the ASPCA finally getting a little of what they deserve. The ASPCA and HSUS are radical animal rights organizations. They are NOT animal welfare organizations interested in making sure animals are properly cared for. If they achieve their ultimate goal, no one will own pets or use animals in any way, shape, or form. Very little of the money collected by these organizations goes to actually help animals in need. Look at the IRS form 990s submitted annually by these groups and check out how much of their money goes toward salaries for their officers, advertising, and incidentals. Hint: a lot. Many people also have the misconception that these national groups fund local shelters because they have a similar name. That is untrue.

If you really want to help homeless or abused animals, donate to or volunteer with your local shelter directly.

Fire Cat you're confusing the ASPCA with PETA. PETA are the ones that view all domesticated animals as abominations and destroy them every chance they get. The ASPCA do a lot of good. It saddens me that this is 9 million dollars that's going to some damn circus instead of into helping abused and neglected animals.

9 mil? We could have used that to aid children in this country insted of this childish dispute of mistreated freak show Elephants. Now this circus company has some more money to conitune this dumb @!$%#. why?Tom Rider, to pursue an individual claim that he was emotionally injured by the company's treatment of its elephants. Realy? What a fag, I faught in the war for @!$%# sakes and this guy is emotionally injuard? go @!$%# yourself.

Fire-cat is right on.If these slease bags have 9.5 millon that they can easily pay out,then you know that they are no way close to 100% on trying to help animals.Most all those elephants were born with the circus and are doing just fine.I worked at a shelter for 2 years and when animals came in that were abused,you would know it.An abused dog in no way would preform any tricks for you except for cowering every time you moved your arms.....These off-shoot groups are disgusting to say the very least and deserve more retribution than just a pay out.

If they hadn't used the donated money for a "paid plaintiff" the lawsuit would have been over with and forgotten about by now.. so who is misusing funds. Not the Circus..They paid the guy for actuall work.. not "telling stories". And did the lawyers do it for free as well? How about what the frivolous lawsuit that started this whole mess cost taxpayers..for waisting the time of the court clerks, balilffs, court reporters, and Judges who all are paid out of our tax dollars.. If my toilet backs up I have to pay the plumber to clean my S**t out it. Same thing here, this is their toilet now they need to pay the plumber...Who knows, the Circus might donate the money so some chairty that actually use it for what they say they will do with the money, like Habitat for Humanity.. novel idea use it to help people! No I am not a person who hates animals. I have 2 dogs, a cat and a fish. More than 1 has come from my local animal shelter. Not the fish of course....

Also it's important to note that the guy from the circus was very likely harassed by animal rights activists. Those people tend to be a little extreme. Why harass Ringling brothers? Harass micheal vick. Hes a douche. No one would care.

I stopped giving them money a long time ago, I've found that my money and time are better spent at my local shelters.

1SGFitzswife4id--exactly. I never donate to national organizations. I keep my funds close to home. I know how the funds are spent and who and what are paid. Most of our local organizations are totally volunteer with no payment for their time--and they deserve payment because they really work at what they do.

This lawsuit was frivolous and the court recognized it for that. Good. The animals in most circuses are well cared for and loved. We will always find a few that tarnish many others. However, by and large, the circuses know which side their bread is buttered on, and it's not on abused animals for the whole public to see.

If anyone disapproves of circuses, then they are free to stay home. Many of us enjoy seeing things that we would never get to view any other way. As for "wild" animals, we are all "wild" animals that have been brought into domestic situations. Every other animal on the planet (except probably humans) is one generation from returning to the wild. Humans have yet to be tamed.

Best wishes to all in the coming new year.

Timothy-3787590, do a little research. PETA, ASPCA, and HSUS are all cut from the same cloth. Look at where the money comes from. Look at where they spend it. In a documented way, not just where you THINK they spend it. The ASPCA swoops in on high profile saves with large media coverage, often pushing out local SPCA and rescue groups which are managing just fine, to make themselves look heroic. The actual intentions of these national radical animal rights groups should horrify anyone who truly cares about animals.

If the ASPCA has an extra 9.3 million to shovel out they damn sure don't need any donations from me.

Can you form an argument, or are you an eight year old girl?

Girl?

There is no possible way these animal welfare organizations can overstate the dire, inhumane and untenable circumstances of these sentient creatures. If any of you really dug into the matter of animal abuse in the film industry, road shows, circus acts, zoos, street/kiosk businesses and elsewhere across this vast globe, you'd hand your heads an cry. As the article said, the court never got around to ruling on the evidence itself which alleged horrifying abuses and mistreatment of the elephants in the circus' care. The defense and court used one of the oldest tricks in the book, making the eye witness a scapegoat and discrediting him and crucifying his good name and character instead of hearing the entire case and determining the merits of the evidence overall. On a slightly different note, if more people knew how their farm animals to dinner meat critters were treated, you'd be inclined to swear off meat forever. "You are what you eat." That statement applies to all of the stress, distress, pain, suffering, infections, maggots in flesh wounds, and the emotional/psychological abuse they suffer their entire lives up to and including the day they are dragged, kicked, electrocuted, slammed into walls, dragged by hooks in their flesh to their deaths. Stick your heads back in the sand, but remember that while your head is firmly embedded down there, your fat gas cans are wide open for all the crap being shoved into your diseased, hormone and antibiotic overloaded colons. As for me, I will continue funding PETA, ASCPA, and all other animal welfare and protection organizations because I care about the welfare of our irreplaceable fellow furry inhabitants of this great planet. Keep up the good work, agencies, and thank you for having the stomach to watch, record and publish what others dare not see, much less accept as the truth about mankind's inhumane and unconscionable treatment of all animals.

@ask if he was being paid to be a witness then he has zero credibility and the court can't trust anything he says. If they were so mistreated, why was there only one witness? Furthermore, why was this sole witness paid by the plaintiff? It wreaks of b.s.

To your point, I can see how their lifestyle would not be ideal and in fact may be horrifying but there is no way in hell I want to read about it.

Do you even know what karma is?!

Clearly they've no clue, mks281.

I used to work as a consultant at a for profit company that worked in the non-profit industry... my advice is never donate to charity. I have seen their balance sheets, their donations, and their expenditures and salaries. Most of that money is just thrown down the toilet. Their workers are generally pretty bad. When the stakes are low no one really cares about trying. The one thing they do well is ask for money though. An example: my hourly rate was almost 300 an hour and they never batted an eye at requesting more work than needed done.

There are, however, a few really good charities that people should support. I am talking about your salvation army, united way, habitat for humanity, etc. Advocacy group's (ACLU, PeTA, etc.) donations just wind up in a lawyer, lobbyist, or marketing consultants pocket.

**Important point: If you are passionate about animal's rights, donate to your local shelter. These are the people that actually care and do work. Donate food, time, shelter (foster animals temporarily at your house), money, or whatever you like. This is where your donation will be most effective.

Now, if they turned their attention to spaying and neutering all the mental cases here this world would be better off.....

Like you I thought they were extremists and then I did the research! Wow! I'm a vegetarian now myself and a supporter of animal welfare/rights agendas. If more folks would do the research instead of spouting off nonsense they hear on Faux News we'd be better off as a nation.

Peta should stop throwing paint on rich ladies who wear fur and instead track down animal abusers and help the police build a case and arrest them. This would be a much better use of their time.

I WISH one of them would throw paint on me. That would easily be the ass beating of the century. lol But, I digress. Reality is lost on some.

wow you speak Elephant?

why not dave... you speak stupid!

was I talking to you leftwad bound? no so piss off!

You might want to think about your noble cause again. Millions of species have become extinct and many more will. Trying to save any species from extinction is just human being's ego at work. The truth is, it's better to be extinct than to live in an increasingly hostile and shrinking habitat. Living a tortured life is no living at all.

Background, I was a nonprofit consultant. I worked with non profit orgs and my company (for profit) took in 300 an hour off it. In this time, I was working with customer financial data.

One customer I worked with was involved in work in Africa (i can't say the name exactly), their focus was wildlife in Africa. Anyway, while I was working with them, they spent most of their budgets taking trips to Africa. I'd say about 30% of it was airfare and a bunch more was accommodations. This wasn't even including their massively over inflated salaries they all had.

Anyway, all those trips counted towards their mission. So basically they spent their time going on vacations on donations dime. It's quite the racket. Moral of the story: donate to your local shelter. You can continue to donate to that other place but you can just set your money on fire and save the cost of a stamp. It's your money though, do whatever lol

Nice to some honesty from an animal abuser, you actually are admitting it, wtg! IDIOT!

Yes, organizations like PETA, ASPCA and even Humane Soc. might hold beliefs that seem extreme to many, but they serve their purpose and they are here because animals have been severely under represented. And believe me, their leaders need to be high-energy activists simply because of the kind of vile thrown at them on a regularly basis, as done by many posters in this forum.

It's simply not enough to just have the goodness of individual's hearts at work, like at the local shelters. Laws to prevent animal abuses need to be enacted, and that's when these national organizations come in.

So do those who do NOTHING to advocate for the fighting of abuse and neglect of animals... and an eternity someplace really, really warm!!!

We have a life deary...fighting folks such as yourself who have never had a thought outside what peepaw and meemaw told them was okay. Times have changed--no thanks to you and yours! Gross ignorance only spurs us on all the more so keep the goober talk coming!

Isn't that the truth! Todays teatard republicans hate on every group out there... their brand of toxic is rotting the soul of this country!

Hell, Ann claimed the dog liked being strapped to the top of the car... apparently repeated vomiting is more fun than we thought!

Well, to be fair, if you consider a human fetus a "living thing", then they don't hate them all because they sure love the fetus.

Right up to the moment they're born into this world. That's the moment when the fetus, that Beautiful Blessing From God, all of a sudden becomes a welfare sucking parasite looking for a hand out.

whoa whoa, I LOVE animals, it's hippy leftest, know it all, elitest, scum I hate, people who KNOW everything about everything when they know nothing! putting their will on the rest of the world, Animals, well I always hope for the best and take very good care of mine, again it is the elite leftest that I would NEVER help save.

@Lgrm...
you see the problems with liberals, they tend to talk the big talk but never walk the walk.
I've known more conservatives helping and assisting those in times of need and never once say, "look!!! see what I'm doing to help!!"
But as soon as liberals arrived the first thing they'd do is complain about everything everyone, instead of just shut up and help. they would rather just talk and feel good about it then actually doing and feeling good about it.

@ ARS03

don't be ridiculous and compare children to animals...

I love animals as much as any of you, but never will I think twice which is more important.