Students say circus doesn't meet federal standards for animal care

Three UA students were arrested on charges of trespassing Friday night for protesting animal abuse at a showing of the Shrine Circus - a circus which has been accused of failing to meet the minimal federal standards for the care of animals.

Tucson Police Department arrested Jeff Jensen, a biological anthropology junior; Rebecca Feather, a psychology junior; and Damien Huffer, an anthropology freshman, after they entered the Rodeo Fairgrounds, 4801 S. Sixth Ave., and passed out literature about animal abuse on the circus' private property. The circus rented the land for the weekend, making it private property.

"We were by the pony rides inside when one of the clowns told us the police were coming, so we started to walk back out, but the police got us," Feather said.

The three students were taken to the Pima County Adult Detention Center at 6:45 p.m. and were released a few hours later, with a court date set for later this month.