Brian Manzullo

Mount Pleasant couple and CMU alumni Latherio and Lisa Agoff brought their three-year-old son John-Charles to the Jordan World Circus on Sunday as a family tradition.

“We came here last year as our first year as a family,” Latherio said. “I want my son to remember just having a good time and enjoying it all.”

“Look at the lions!” John-Charles said excitedly.

Latherio said his son already has shown an interest in animals.

“He wants to be a farmer and bull rider,” Latherio said. “I don’t know where he gets that from.”

University officials said the turnout for the circus was the largest ever at Finch Fieldhouse with attendance at about 1,000 people.

“I like the tigers because they jump through the fire hoops,” said 7-year-old Aryanna Patterson.

Patterson also enjoyed riding the camel, but not the odor.

“It was bumpy and they smelled like poop,” she said.

Patterson’s mother, Mount Pleasant resident Amber Poole, said the circus was a great family activity in Mount Pleasant.

“This has actually been really fun because from what I’ve seen, Mount Pleasant doesn’t really have a lot of things for kids to do because it is more geared toward the college community, and I am glad they have this circu s here geared toward the kids,” she said.

‘They are wild animals’

While families watched the event inside, a group of 11 students stood outside Finch Fieldhouse protesting.

Goodrich senior Kaitlin Krafcik said circus animals are exposed to pointless cruelty. In the Jordan Family Circus’ history, she said there have beennumerous instances where animals have turned against their trainers, injuring both the animals and the crowd.

“A lot of countries have already banned animals as entertainment,” she said. “The bears have bitten children’s fingers off and the tigers have killed their trainers. They are wild animals, so they can’t be expected not to do that. Animals aren’t meant to be kept in captivity anyway.”

Between the laughs and giggles, Lisa Agoff understands the protesters’ points-of-view, but felt it was inappropriate.

“I can understand their views, but the circus is a child’s event,” she said. “I’m all for treating animals properly, but for parents to have to explain to their children on the way in, it is different, and something that children don’t understand.”

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E-mail the author: Sherri Keaton