UniverSoul Circus By Boston Dumped; Sponsor Skittish About Animal Abuse Charges

Circus's sponsor for last two years, Northeastern Univeristy, shunning the show, severing sawdust ties owing to escalating complaints, the lead spoil sport being -- guess who! -- PETA.

"We researched the issue and were not happy with what we found," said Reneta Nyui, speaking for Northeastern to the Boston Globe, which reported the story.

UniverSoul wrapped up a 13-day performance frame on the campus last Saturday. Tents were pitched over a parking lot

The show lacks a license under the USDA; its animals are leased from other companies cited in past but not recent years for a number of infractions. Particularly newsworthy was the death within a few months of a pair of kangaroos, cast in a slapstick boxing match. Mistreatment of the animals was alleged.

Circus patrons who contacted PETA alleged to have witnessed "tigers in their travel cages and feared for the animals' well-being in the heat."

Speaking for the show, VP Jackie Davis said the company passed all animal regulatory inspections while in Boston. She added, "We take great pride in the way we treat our animals. I have no idea of why someone would make that accusation."

In 2002, PETA produced an undercover video of an elephant handler under contract to UniverSoul "beating his animals with bull hooks and electric prods."