FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The circus is in town over the weekend… but not everyone is happy about it.

Heather Dahman with “A Better Choice – Fort Wayne” was one of just under two dozen people protesting the Mizpah Shrine Circus event Saturday morning at the Memorial Coliseum. She tells WOWO News why:

“The abuse, the confinement, the harsh training methods, the long hours traveling in crates… not many people know what goes on,” she said. ​”They don’t see the metal hooks used, some people have seen the tigers get whipped.”

They had their share of counter-protesters as well, but also some who stopped with words of encouragement.

The Shrine Circus states on their website they have “zero tolerance” for animal cruelty, but Dahman says they’ve refused her group’s requests for comment.