Taking Down the Big Top

In this thesis, I explore how animal rights activism and legislation led to changes in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, most notably the circus' closure in May 2017. While animal rights advocates argue that the use of animals in the circus is abusive to animals, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey argues that it engages in important conservation work for endangered species like the Asian elephant. I carry the tension between these two arguments throughout this thesis and demonstrate that both arguments hold true at least to some degree.