Lakeville Arenas Will No Longer Rent Facilities to Circus

The Great American Family Circus performed in Lakeville Monday night, but it's likely to be the last time residents can see a live circus show in town.

According to a news release from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Lakeville's Arenas Board will no longer rent or arenas to circuses that use animals. The decision is a change in policy, the release says, in part because of alleged violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act by the circus company.

Lakeville Arenas manager Shayne Ratcliff wrote to PETA following the group's revelations that "we have reevaluated our rental policy and will no longer offer our facility to circus companies in the future."

According to the PETA release, American Family Circus operator Hugo Liebel faces 33 charges of violating the Animal Welfare Act. The charges were filed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One such violation includes an allegation that the company kept an elephant chained so tightly by two legs that the animal could barely move.

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