From the weird and live-bloggy description, it sounds as though the circus was trying to paint itself as a compassionate caretaker of elephants:

Elephants have delivered their final performance for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson closed Sunday’s performance in Providence, Rhode Island, by calling the animals beloved members of the circus family and thanking them for more than 100 years of service.

He called them American icons and thanked them for so many years of joy.