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At a news conference today, PETA released a video which organizers say was obtained through an undercover sting operation.

PETA says one of its employees worked as a stagehand for the circus to gain access.

The video shows various handlers and trainers using what's called a bull hook, a four-to-eight pound rod with a hook at the end. In the video, elephants are being hit with the bull hook in the head, ears and trunk.

Among those allegedly portrayed using the bull hook are Ringling Brothers' animal superintendent and head elephant trainer.

"If this was something done to a dog or a cat, people would be sitting in jail right now," said Daphna Nachminovitch, vice president of cruelty investigations of PETA.

PETA says an elephant's skin can be as sensitive human skin in certain places and that the Ringling Brothers animals are being traumatized physically and mentally.

The Illinois-based American Veterinary Medical Association says bull hooks should generally be used only with "light physical contact" and should be used to strike an elephant only in case of "highly dangerous behavior."

"Much of the abuse took place at Madison Square Garden," said Nachminovitch. "And we are today calling on Madison Square Gardens CEO James Dolan to ban Ringling from using animals in its performances there if the circus is every allowed to return to The Garden at all."

Ringling is also at the center of a 2003 case of alleged animal abuse, stemming from the complaints of a former circus worker. The worker sued the circus under a federal statute that prohibits harassing, harming and wounding elephants.

"I don't see anything wrong with it, provided it doesn't injure the skin," said one New Yorker who was shown the video of alleged abuse.

"It doesn't look like a gentle tap. the elephant has been badly treated," said another local who saw the video.

Ringling Brothers released a statement saying, "It is no surprise that PETA would once again release misinformation about Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Ringling Bros. believes that the recent video produced and distributed by PETA is questionable in its context regarding the portrayal of the animal handlers. From January through June of this year, the alleged time covered in the video, this particular unit was found to be in compliance with federal, state and local regulations."