Cat’s Out Of The Bag Over Acrobatic Circus Act
By Neil S. Friedman

Trainer Valeriy Tsoraev holds pillow for his leaping Supercat in Cole Bros. Circus act.

This week State Senator Carl Kruger leveled a charge of animal cruelty against Cole Brothers Cir-cus, which began its annual run in Marine Park last Friday, for its Acrobatic House Cat Act.

Kruger sent a letter to New York City Parks Com-missioner Adrian Benepe urging the agency to stop granting permits allowing the circus to lease city property again. The circus has performed every summer for the last ten years in Marine Park in Brooklyn as well as in Queens and Staten Island. Demand led to a longer run this year in Brooklyn with a total of 24 performances in ten days through this Sunday evening.

A Parks Department spokesperson told the Can-arsie Courier on Tuesday that the commissioner had not yet received the politician’s letter, and issued the following statement, "We do on-site inspections by various monitoring entities. The reports we received in previous seasons from the ASPCA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) stated that the Clyde-Beatty Cole Brothers Circus operated in compliance with required standards. It is extremely important to us that our operators treat performing animals with extreme care and we will ask the ASPCA to look into any reports."

A representative in Cole Bros.’ Deland, Florida office told the Courier Tuesday that this is the fourth year the acrobatic housecat has been in the show and remains in the show due "to popular demand." The spokesperson also said the act is "a huge crowd pleaser" that has received few complaints over the years and has astonished crowds across three continents.

Cole Bros. Vice President Renee Storey faxed documents to the Courier, including a 2002 U.S. Department of Agriculture report stating, "The cat appears comfortable with leaping…the distance from near the top of the tent."

After scant animal rights complaints a few years ago, the circus contacted the principal veterinarian from the San Diego Wild Animal Park, who wrote that he examined the cats after several performances and "found them to be perfectly healthy."

A few years ago "Supercat" was featured in the Academy Award© nominated feature film "Big Fish," performing the same exploit for circus audiences to see. The film received the American Humane Association’s "No Animals Were Harmed" seal of approval from the advocacy group that monitors treatment of animals in motion pictures.

Nonetheless, Kruger said the high-diving feline act crosses the line from "hair-raising to just plain nauseating" in a press release issued Monday. A spokesman in the senator’s Avenue U office said Kruger watched a video of the act on the circus’ website after receiving several complaints from constituents.

Tuesday’s Newsday quoted Kruger, "Kids and parents turned their head away, and instead of ap-plause there were gasps." However, Kruger’s office denied he had seen the act in person.

A local resident, who won circus tickets in a Canarsie Courier sweepstakes, said when she saw the opening show with her younger sister last Friday evening, "no one seemed to be disturbed by the acrobatic cat performance."

"Forcing an animal to risk its life solely for the purpose of entertainment is both inappropriate and sick," said the Brooklyn Democrat.

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