A traveling circus set to perform in Astoria this week is drawing protests from animal rights activists, who plan to gather outside the Clatsop County Fairgrounds & Expo on Wednesday to call for the release of an elephant they say has spent decades in captivity.
The demonstration, organized by supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is part of a nationwide effort tracking the Jordan World Circus and its abuse of animals — particularly Viola, an elephant advocates say has spent decades performing under harsh conditions. Protesters plan to gather at 6 p.m. outside Gate 1, aiming to appeal to attendees before they enter the event. Some of the PETA representatives will hand out information or speak directly with families, hoping to persuade them to reconsider.
“Every single one of these (circus) demos has had individuals who did not know there were going to be elephants and were appalled,” said Debbie Metzler, PETA’s managing director of captive wildlife. “There have been people who have actually decided to turn away.”
The group says it will protest regardless of whether elephants appear in the Astoria show or not. Clatsop County bans the use of bullhooks — tools with a hooked end used to control elephants — but Metzler said that doesn’t necessarily mean the animals are not being coerced.
“The elephants know to expect pain if they step out of line,” she said, adding that handlers may rely on other objects or prior conditioning.
For Metzler and other advocates, the focus remains on Viola.
According to PETA, the elephant was taken from her family in Asia as a calf more than 50 years ago and has spent her life in captivity, much of it with the Carson & Barnes Circus, which supplies elephants to Jordan World Circus.
Over the decades, Metzler said, Viola has attempted to escape multiple times — beginning as early as 1975 and as recently as 2024, when she ran through traffic in Butte, Montana, before being recaptured.
To activists, those moments are not isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern.
“She’s the most frequently used and abused elephant in circuses today,” Metzler said.
The circus has accumulated more than 100 citations under the federal Animal Welfare Act, according to PETA. The group also alleges Viola suffers from chronic health problems, including swollen feet, arthritis and joint deterioration — conditions often seen in captive elephants.
“These animals are geriatric,” Metzler said. “They’ve been doing this for decades. The life of a circus wears them down.”
During performances, elephants appear briefly, Metzler said, often walking in circles or performing limited tricks. But she said much of the revenue tied to the animals comes from rides offered before and after the show, where multiple riders may be placed on an elephant at once.
“They’re more interested in the profit,” she said.
Beyond elephants, the circus includes dogs, horses and ponies.
The animal rights group is calling on Jordan World Circus to eliminate animal acts altogether and follow the example of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which ended elephant performances and later returned as an animal-free show.
“It’s really never been clearer that the public has turned away from circuses that exploit animals,” Metzler said.
The Astorian reached out to the Jordan World Circus but officials there did not respond.
Officials from PETA said the group plans to continue following the circus across the U.S., organizing protests at each stop.
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