Circus Gerbola

Circus owned by Mikey and Tara Gerbola

Information gathered from 2012 investigation (click here to read full report):

Animals: 1 Bactrian camel, 2 Shetland ponies and 1 horse

Camel and Pony Act: 1 camel and 2 Shetland ponies were walked into the ring. They stood in the ring and then were walked out again. The camel had to be coaxed using food.

Horse Act: The horses performed a ‘Liberty’ routine including walking around the ring and putting front legs on the ringside barrier. One horse appeared reluctant to perform and a section of the act was abandoned.

Pony Act: 2 Shetland ponies performed a routine including putting their front legs on the ringside barrier

Ten minutes in the ring, but what about the other 23 hours and 40 minutes of the day?

The lengthiest animal act seen lasted just 9 minutes and 28 seconds and the shortest a mere 45 seconds. Overall, the 58 animals in the four circuses were in the ring for a combined total of 1 hour and 2 minutes during the total combined show time of 5 hours and 55 minutes. Animal acts made up just 17.6% of the overall acts and the vast majority are those are all-human.

Spending so little time in the circus ring means that the animals spend most of their time (other than any training and rehearsal sessions) in their living or daytime enclosures. Being confined to the enclosures seen during this study cannot realistically be considered to be beneficial to the psychological or physical welfare of the animals.

Circus History:

Circus Gerbola founded in 2001

Animals used throughout the years:

Animals used in 2009: Horses
Animals used in 2009: Seals, horses
Animals used in 2008: Horses, llamas, snakes and dogs
Animals used in 2007: Horses, ponies, llamas, dogs
Animals used in 2006: Horses, llamas, snakes and dogs