Who doesn’t love animals? We’ve all seen those TV ads drawing attention to the issue of animal abuse. And those who abuse animals deserve everything the law has to throw at them. But your donation to the charities that run those ads might not be helping animals the way those ads would have you believe.

In 2000, a multitude of animal rights groups filed a lawsuit against Feld Entertainment, the parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, alleging cruelty to animals. Ringling has long been a target of these groups because the circus uses animals as part of its act.