Today the following appeard in Shropshire Star (South) edition. JollyWatch
issued a statement, which follows the article.

PLEASE write to the Shropshire Star (starmail@...) being
careful of the name and address you give, asking the circus to free Ming to a
sanctuary.

CALL local radio stations (such as Radio Shropshire on 01743 248321 between 9 -
12) asking to speak on the phone-in show about this circus.

ALERT JollyWatch (close_jolly@...) if you see Jolly's anywhere, or know
where they have been.

Jolly's have a lot of animals. It may be some time before they all go free.
The campaign to free Ming, the 23 year old black bear, starts here. Play your
part!

Pet bear Ming to retire in county



Britain's last performing bear will stay in south Shropshire when it
retires from the circus rather than being shipped to a sanctuary overseas.

Ringmaster Peter Jolly, who owns Jolly's Circus, has vowed to build an
enclosure for the 23-year-old bear, called Ming, at the circus's winter retreat
in Craven Arms.

Mr Jolly came under fire this week following his decision to turn down
offers from the RSPCA to have the black bear re-homed abroad.

Mr Jolly said: "We have formed a trust for Ming so that when she retires
she will be able to live happily at home in an enclosure designed just for her."

Since she was a 10-day-old cub, Ming has been part of the Jolly family,
reared from a bottle.

"All she does is sit in the cage drinking milk from a bottle and
entertaining children. It is nothing strenuous and I don't see what everyone's
problem is," said Mr Jolly.


In response the the article in the Shropshire Star on Tues 27th April 2004,
JollyWatch issued the following statement for immediate release:

JollyWatch welcome the news that Ming the bear is to retire, though we are
deeply concerned about a number of the issues raised.

a.. Ming is not a pet bear but a captive animal. Bears are not, and must never
be, pets.
b.. Jolly's Circus has, for the past 23 years, paraded Ming around the
country, forcing her to perform degrading tricks. They have never, it would
seem, given her a decent enclosure before. This does not lead JollyWatch to
believe that Jolly's Circus have any compassion for her!
c.. Jolly's winter quarters are not, we believe, in an adequate state of
repair or in a decent location for Ming.
d.. "Everyone's problem" is that Ming is kept in conditions we believe to be
restricted, transported for miles across the country and forced to perform
tricks we believe to be degrading in order for Peter Jolly and his circus to
profit.
JollyWatch believe that bears do not belong in captivity. Because Jolly's Circus
took the irresponsible step of keeping this bear in captivity as a cub, we
accept that a return to the wild will now be impossible. We do believe, however,
that Ming deserves as much freedom as possible, and would appeal to Jolly's
compassion by allowing her to go to the sanctuary that other animal protection
groups have arranged for her. Further to this, JollyWatch point to the fact that
Jolly's also own a large number of other animals, both exotic and other, which
should not be transported around the country for humiliation in the name of
entertainment. We appeal to Jolly's to re-home all of their animals and switch
to an all human act.

Robert Mound, JollyWatch Spokesperson, says: "Jolly's clearly don't understand
why so many people are opposed to their circus and think that this cheap
publicity stunt will silent critics. We are very upset that Ming has been kept
in these conditions for 23 years and we are extremely disappointed that Peter
Jolly won't give her to a sanctuary where she could live out her life in
relative freedom. Mr Jolly must realise that unless he faces up to his
responsibilities and switches to a human only act, protests will continue at his
circus gates and local businesses and landowners will refuse to help him."

ENDS



--

!UNTIL ALL ARE FREE!
Shropshire Animal Action

www.geocities.com/animals_salop/
07986 079514

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