Las Vegas Sun

April 25, 2024

PETA to protest Siegfried & Roy’s final performance

Siegfried & Roy

Denise Truscello

Siegfried and Roy pose for cameras with a litter of tiger cubs.

Siegfried & Roy

Keep Memory Alive Chairman Larry Ruvo poses with Siegfried & Roy in front of a model of the The Lou Ruvo Brain Institute in February 2009. Ruvo managed the Frontier hotel-casino, while Siegfried & Roy were headliners there. Launch slideshow »

While the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute hosts its “Keep Memory Alive” charity dinner at the Bellagio on Saturday, PETA members will converge outside to protest Siegfried & Roy’s final performance at the benefit.

Members of the animal rights organization will hold signs that read “Retire the Tigers” and “Make Animal Acts Disappear,” urging the release of the big cats Siegfried & Roy still own.

PETA wants the famous cats retired to an accredited sanctuary.

Siegfried & Roy have not performed since Roy was mauled by a tiger onstage at The Mirage in 2003, after the tiger was reportedly struck with a microphone repeatedly, PETA said. The pair will perform a finale show at the “Keep Memory Alive” dinner Saturday for more than 1,000 donors who have contributed to the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute.

PETA claims big cats that are used in performances are confined to small enclosures, abused and denied everything that is natural to them.

"Siegfried and Roy have made a fortune, and they owe it all to their exploitation of these tigers," PETA Director Debbie Leahy said. "The least that they can do is retire the animals to a sanctuary where they can live out their lives in peace and never be beaten, mistreated or caged again."

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