LA-based KTLA News has investigated undercover video documenting the alleged abuse of Tai, the elephant featured in ‘Water for Elephants’ starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert attison. Tai and Reese Witherspoon also starred in an American Vogue fashion editorial ‘A Day at the Circus’, lensed by Peter Lindbergh.

Anne wrote in her post:

We would be irresponsible and fake to readers not to share the reality that PETA feels very strongly about the treatment of animals like elephants, bears and other animals in the Ringling Bros circus. This link will take you directly to their page on circuses.

We do not want to glamorize such an important issue, because Anne of Carversville loves elephants as much as bonobos and dolphins.

Reese Witherspoon | Peter Lindbergh | ‘A Day at the Circus’ | Vogue US May 2011 AOC Style

This KTLA video is among the toughest we’ve watched on the treatment and training of elephants. It was provided by Animal Defenders International (ADI) and it is heartbreaking, given our understanding of the high level of elephant consciousness.

The video shows the elephants allegedly being beaten by Have Trunk Will Travel with bull hooks — and that includes a baby elephant — and also receiving electric shocks. KTLA does an excellent job of keeping the news broadcast calm and factual.

By showing us the weapons used on the elephants and how they work near humans, we better understand what the elephants are experiencing, unless you believe that elephants are like flies, a metaphor used by trainer Gary Johnson in the Ringling Brothers Circus testimony.