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Show OCTOBER 6, 1999 THE SUN Feature U Circus Comes to Town By Jayson Feathirstone Sun Reporter jusm99(it hnmviii com Last week, the Shrmerx Gam Circus came to Dixies Bums Arena, and I got to spend some time with two of the animal trainers. The first trainer had actually run away with the circus when he was just 12 years-olWhen he was 14, he had already purchased three baby African Elephants. He trained the three elephants by himself. These guys are my whole life," he said. As for all of the horror stories the public has seen about captive elephants., ... There should be a concern for how the performing animals are treated, he said. Yet, you cant say all the animals who perform are treated 1 iy if r VP Vr'V v-- r ; -- e"S s y V JZsfggSlJ'&i Photo by Jayson Featherstone the tiger tamer, shows off his growling tiger. Vince and felines were at the Center last weekend for the Gatti Circus. He started training lion, tigers and eopards when he was only Vince, lixie eight-years-ol- d. a i.o i D) r Cl LJlM A poorly. We have all been labeled because of a few isolated instances, he said. Im proud of the work I do and I feel for those animals who are abused. Another animal trainer, Vince, trains the big cats; the lions, tigers and leopards. All of his cats are very spe U'Js'Bl cial to him. These guys are my kids. I have raised them all from the time they were cubs, said Vince. d hey are not inanimate objects They all have diilerenr personalities and attitudes Most of all, though, they have feelings too. Vince started training felines when s he was old. My grandfather gave me a leopard for my birthday. These trainers were very honest. eight-year- They didnt dodge a single question that was asked. Some of our fondest memories from childhood could be the circus. I think its time to give circuses a break. There surely arc bad trainers and captors throughout the world, but the problem is that everybody else is unnecessarily associated with them. Could you imagine ten years from now, not being able to take our children to the circus? The circuses of the world could be gone if animal activists have their way. We cant hold everybody resjxinsi-bl- e for what a few bad apples have done. Yogi 5b E2auc EiicoCi mliv Pay LYacEicndc. Mt yxp&P jcccev&" 1 twisted h 11 r twisradhx: Isgtl B32t2EL $jOO f?oFF oFF Ary 24oz. Snoothie 23 anxthies to ctrcee from Unde Fresh Odd Referring Ay Pretzel cr FREE Dip 'o YNticaecn txssmVilAb wcarw aen w jcccei&" .oo Snoothie 24ce. and ftetL Combo FF Ary San&vicdi Ckb TUck-Ha- FF & Swiss fegge Dip WNheemen Expacs S39 ft &pev The Army Reserve will give you weekend excitement like youve never had before, ana you can earn more than $1 8,000 while youre enjoying yourself during a standard enlistment. Think about it. On a part-tim- e basis, usually one weekend a month plus two weeks Annual Training, you could earn good pay, have a good time, make good mends and even be entitled to good benefits and opportunities to get money for education. Youll also be getting hands-o- n training in a skill that will last you a lifetime. Army Reserve knows bow to make weekends interesting. Are you interested? Think about Pretzel Wets kj of 9 & c Sanckich. AS. W oM 9i it. Then think about us. Then call: www.jjoarmy.com BE ALL YOU CAM EE! dtuixim. a 5 ARMY RESERVE |