A dozen people protest the Shrine Circus at Complex

About a dozen concerned citizens from Cornwall, Ottawa, and Brockville gathered in front of the Civic Complex Wednesday night carrying signs and protesting animal cruelty. The Shrine Circus was at the Cornwall Civic Complex entertaining hundreds of people and families, however a small group of people were concerned about the animals welfare and making their voices heard.

PHOTO CREDIT - Jason Setnyk, OurHometown.ca

Cornwall - Aug. 11, 2011 - About a dozen concerned citizens from Cornwall, Ottawa, and Brockville gathered in front of the Civic Complex Wednesday night carrying signs and protesting animal cruelty. The Shrine Circus was at the Cornwall Civic Complex entertaining hundreds of people and families, however a small group of people were concerned about the animals welfare and making their voices heard.

According to Ottawa Animal Defense League spokesperson Michele Thorn who was in attendance, "they need to get the animals out of the act. Animal Free circuses work else where. Circus people say we don't have the facts, but the truth is animals living in captivity don't live as long".

Thorn spoke at people walking and driving by on a megaphone. There have been mixed reactions to her message. Despite a few rude comments from passerby's, her group has deterred some people from attending the circus.

"We've turned dozens of people away from attending circus's including a family of six who all had tickets".

There are circus’s in other countries that are heavily criticized for committing animal abuse, however Canadian circuses have a reputation for being more humane.