On the Other Tightrope

"For me, wild animals belong in the wild," said Hills, of Capitol Hill, an animal rights activist for decades.

"I really do think of this differently now, as a mom," she said. She has protested before but now says graphic, bloody literature on animal cruelty shouldn't be handed out.

And she acknowledges the tug of the nostalgic portrait of American childhood, even though her son's circus memories will be made outside the big top, handing out fliers on recycled paper.

"I know, it seems so unfair to keep him from the zoo and the circus," Hills said. "I don't want him to be excluded from all these fun, childhood things. But I also want to raise a compassionate, caring person."

Jessica Bonilla, 11, has been to the circus about "50 times" and has always loved it, she said. The Gaithersburg fifth-grader delights in the acrobats and the animals. But looking at the elephant-costumed protesters last week took away some of her bounce.

"Now that I think of it," she said, "if the elephants aren't treated well, I really don't want to go now."

Staff writer Amy Gardner contributed to this report.