Feld Entertainment, Inc. Victorious in Case Brought by ASPCA and Other Animal Special Interest Groups

Federal Court Finds Plaintiff Testimony of Tom Rider Not Truthful

Dec. 30, 2009 – Feld Entertainment, Inc. announced today that a federal court dismissed a case filed more than nine years ago by animal special interest groups who sought to ultimately outlaw elephants in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. In its ruling, “the Court finds that Mr. Rider is essentially a paid plaintiff and fact witness who is not credible, and therefore affords no weight to his testimony regarding the matters discussed herein, i.e., the allegations related to his standing to sue."

Today’s decision reinforces the fact that plaintiffs’ manufactured litigation was based on the untruthful testimony of a paid plaintiff and witness who the Court found received at least $190,000 in payments as his sole source of income over the past eight years by animal special interest groups, their lawyers and an entity controlled by those lawyers, the Wildlife Advocacy Project. Furthermore, the Court ruled that “based upon his failure to complain, the Court finds that Mr. Rider either (1) did not witness elephant mistreatment when he was employed by FEI or (2) any mistreatment he did witness did not affect him to the extent that he suffered an aesthetic or emotional injury.” 

“We are gratified with today’s decision because it is a victory for elephants over those whose radical agenda, if adopted, could lead to the extinction of the species,” said Kenneth Feld, chief executive of Feld Entertainment. “We look forward to focusing on what we do best – providing quality care to our elephants and delivering unique family entertainment options to the public.”

Read full Company Statement click on Updates section below or to read Court Opinion click on Filings.