Circus 2

The official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
                              Issue # 12/5/99


THE NINE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:

     1 ~ Circuses: Animals Dying to Entertain You
     2 ~ Don't Put Your Child on Someone Who's Wild
     3 ~ Diseases That Kill the Elephants and...YOU!
     4 ~ Start Your Own Petition to Ban Live Animal Circuses in Your Community
     5 ~ The Circus Hall of Shame
     6 ~ Where Are the Regulating Bodies?
     7 ~ Circus Protest Signs
     8 ~ At Last ~ A Possibility of Hope For Circus Elephants
     9 ~ A Farewell Prayer for Arnold the Tiger
    10 ~ Quotes to Remember

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Circuses: Animals Dying to Entertain You
By SavingLife@aol.com

One of my first animal rights realizations occurred when I was at the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey circus. An elephant happened to walk close by to where we were sitting. I looked into her eyes and saw a sadness so terrible, I realized right then and there that I should not have been patronizing this circus. Even more important, the animals should not have been there either.

I immediately began researching the circus industry. I wanted to know if things were really as bad as the elephant's eyes were telling me that day in the arena. To my dismay, her eyes were right. I was hearing her plea for help loud and clear. Not only are circus animals continuously abused and plagued with diseases, they are deprived of adequate shelter, food, water, veterinary care, and everything that is natural to them. They are prisoners, captives who have committed no
crime whatsoever, receiving a punishment that we would never allow to be inflicted upon even our most hardened criminals. It is slavery in its most modern form and it is time for it to stop!

The circus industry would love to have you believe that their animals, or rather prisoners, are trained with love and positive reinforcement. The truth of the matter is, an animal who is wild by nature is never going to submit to tenderness from a human, especially when forced to commit acts that are uncomfortable and often times painful. The only way to break their free spirits is through intimidation and the only way for the trainer to succeed is through physical and mental
pain. The key is dominance and this is achieved by beating the animals with clubs, bull hooks, whips and other objects. Tight collars, muzzles, and electric prods are additional elements often found in the trainers' handbag. In addition to the beatings, food deprivation, drugging, and surgical removal or impairment of claws and teeth are other techniques. The fact of the matter is the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) does not prohibit any specific form of training. In the words of
Pat Derby, former animal trainer, "After 25 years of observing and documenting circuses, I know there are no kind animal trainers."

According to Henry Ringling North, in his book "The Circus Kings," the large felines are "chained to their pedestals, and ropes are put around their necks to choke them down. They work from fear." Bears' noses are often broken during training and their paws burned in order to force them to stand on two legs. In an interview with the Elephant Alliance, a former employee of Ringling Bros. reported on Ringling's treatment of one animal: "She was a sweet little innocent brown bear who never hurt anyone, but sometimes she had trouble balancing on the high wire. She was then beaten with long metal rods until she was screaming and bloody. She became so neurotic that she would beat her head against her small cage. She finally died." A Hudson News reporter who traveled with Ringling reported on the training of one chimpanzee: "Repeatedly, he was struck with a sturdy club. The thumps could be heard outside the arena building, and the screams further than that."

Elephants, because of their enormous size and power, endure perhaps the most horrendous treatment. Chains, bull hooks, and fear are common elements in the training methods forced upon captive circus elephants. Adolescent elephants who were once wild are broken by forcing them to their knees, chaining them by all four legs so they cannot move, and beating them on a daily basis for as long as a month. The same treatment is granted adult elephants, but the
industry ensures that this happens outside of your view. The beatings committed against these magnificent creatures are usually performed with bull hooks. Clubs with a sharp metal hook on the end, these weapons are used to tear and scar the elephants' most sensitive areas. In the past, one elephant lost her eye to a bull hook. The Humane Society located bull hook sores on the genital areas of    multiple circus elephants. A horrendous thought is the fact that most
elephant handlers are actually ex-carnival employees with no experience with animals whatsoever. They've simply been handed a weapon and told to beat the animal to submission. Sylvia K. Sikes, in "The Natural History of the African Elephant," tells us, "It is unusual to see tears running from the eyes of wild elephants, although it is common in captive specimens."

It is impossible to ignore the fact that animals used in circuses do not belong there. They are large, wild animals who are meant to roam free. Even if their lives were surrounded with love and compassion, they are still living in a miserable existence. For instance, during the traveling season, when they are not performing, (which is approximately 98 percent of the time) the animals are housed in small, desolate cages where they sleep behind bars on cold, concrete
floors. This is a sad reality for animals who are quite large and naturally active. The AWA simply orders that the animals have adequate room to turn around and stand up. As a result, large felines often live and travel in cages only 4x6x5 feet. Many elephants spend their entire lives in chains. The infamous "Dumbo" wore "martingales," chains connected from his tusks to his feet, for 20 years.

The trucks and railway cars in which the animals retire to and travel in the 98 percent of the time they are not performing are more often than not lacking in heat and/or air conditioning. Most animals cannot adequately adjust to the climate changes and since veterinarians are not always present on site, numerous animals have been left to suffer and die due to exposure to extreme temperatures, lack of adequate food and water, and inefficient formal medical attention.

There is no true "off-season" for circus animals, since the majority of performing animals are leased from dealers. When one circus is finished with them, they are simply shipped off to another, following seasonal contracts. This creates another scary thought, considering that not only are these animals being used and abused almost daily, there is no supervision on the part of the true "owners."   The lessors, who have no attachments to these animals what so ever, are
free to do with them as they wish! Do not assume that when the animals are back "home" with their "owners" that the situation is any better. They are usually housed in the same conditions as when they are performing (in traveling cars, barn stalls, and even trucks). In addition, they are still being "trained," which means they are being beaten and tortured each day, in order to ensure that they are well prepared for their next circus venture.

These deplorable, off-season quarters often become permanent retirement homes for those animals who have been deemed no longer useful to the circus. Those retired animals who are not placed in the winter homes are either sold to other circuses, zoos, roadside attractions, private individuals, game farms, or research laboratories. It is obvious that, even once their "careers" are over, these animals do not have much hope for a happy, fulfilling life. Their lives end in much the   same conditions they were forced to previously live in: confinement, domination, pain, and suffering.

The constant confinement plagued upon these animals, day after day, creates dangerous physical and psychological problems for performing animals. The Born Free Foundation conducted a study in which they found that confined elephants spend 22 percent of their time in atypical, behavior including head bobbing and swaying. They also found that imprisoned bears spend as much as 30 percent of their time pacing. Self-mutilation is another common reaction to the stress, loneliness, and boredom caused by the deprivation of family and any sense of freedom as their lives are completely dominated by their handlers.

Clearly, the magnificent creatures of the circus, paraded around, humiliated, and beaten day after day, do not deserve to live in this miserable existence. If what you have just read is not enough to turn your heart against the circus, please continue to read as Animal Rights Online presents you with further reason to fight the circus.

For more information, visit www.circuses.com

Don't Put Your Child on Someone Who's Wild
by SavingLife@aol.com

   As a result of the distressing environment in which circus animals are forced to live, many animals have been left with no other option but to revolt against those who have mistreated them so severely. Since 1990 alone, eighteen people have been killed and 89 others have been severely wounded by captive circus elephants. These numbers do not include those instances in which other species of circus animals have attacked unwitting humans, the majority of which
were mere spectators. The fact of the matter is, no amount of training, however severe, can erase the instinctive, unpredictable ways of wild animals. This, coupled with the fact that they are tormented constantly, every day of their lives, these animals cannot be deemed safe for public exposure.

   Some recent attacks committed by circus animals include:

   1997, Carrollton, PA: During a performance in the Franzen Bros. Circus, a 400- pound Bengal tiger called "Lucca" killed his trainer, Wayne Franzen, by pouncing on him and dragging him around the ring by his neck. An audience of 200 children witnessed the slaying.

   1996, Salt Lake City, UT: An elephant in the Jordan Circus attacked and injured two animal trainers while giving rides to children.

   1996, Iquique, Chile: An elephant, named "Frida", attacked a 10-year-oldboy who wandered up to the animal's cage at a circus. He died of multiple skull traumas.

   1995 , Queens, NY: Several spectators were injured fleeing a matinee performance of the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus when two elephants, "Freda" and "Debbie," began to fight. The elephants broke out of the big top and moved into a parking lot where they smashed an empty car. "Freda" and "Debbie" were the same elephants who caused damages in Hanover, Pennsylvania on May 20, 1995. A spectator at this event said the trainer "was yelling and screaming at the elephants. They would turn around and then he would beat on them and they rebelled again." A circus employee said a bull hook was used by the trainer to gain control of the animals. One of the elephants suffered a six-inch gash under    her right eye and cuts and bruises to other parts of her body. "Freda" was also blamed for the July 6, 1985 death of a woman in New London, Connecticut and may also have been the elephant who injured a man on May 25, 1983.

   1994, Honolulu: A 21 year old African elephant, "Tyke," stomped her trainer to death, injured a dozen spectators, and broke out of a Circus International tent. She led police down several city blocks before a hail of gunfire killed her.

   1994, Riley County, KN: A 3-year-old girl was injured when an elephant of the King Royal Circus wrapped his trunk around her neck and pulled her into the arena. The trainer of this specific elephant had been arrested two months prior to this incident for beating this same elephant during a performance.

   1994 , Chakradhapur, India: A tiger jumped out of the ring during a circus show and fatally mauled a 6-year-old boy sitting in the front row alongside his father.
   The boy died after he was rushed to a local hospital. His father was seriously injured.

   1993, Fishkill, NY: A man was pinned against a trailer and crushed to death by an elephant in the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus.

   1990: A chimpanzee in the American Continental Circus deserted his motorcycle act, charged the stands, and bit a child.

   1989, Palm Bay, FL: An elephant, "Janet," charged out of the Great American Circus with a box full of children on her back. She injured 13 people, including a police officer, before she was killed.

Diseases that Kill the Elephants and...YOU!
by SavingLife@aol.com

   I bet you never thought that by simply patronizing a circus, you could actually contract a life debilitating disease. Well, it is true and your chances are even higher if you are a young child and within the close proximity of an elephant. For your safety, please read on.

   While the life expectancy of wild elephants is comparable to humans, performing elephants often face untimely deaths as a result of the stress of their prison confinement and the resulting diseases. A common plague among numerous circus elephants is the contagious disease, tuberculosis (TB). The cramped, hot, congested travel cars in which the elephants are forced to live create an extremely productive environment for this particular disease. TB is highly   contagious and easily passed from elephant to human and vice versa. A scary thought is that the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports TB as one of the US's top five infectious killers. In fact, Veterinarian John Lewis states, "If tuberculosis is diagnosed in an elephant, there are clear public health implications, as the disease can be spread by close contact with infected
animals and people." Once a human is exposed to TB, the World Health Organization cautions that there is nothing an individual can do to protect themselves.

   In 1996, the Circus Vargas knew they had two elephants in their possession, "Joyce" and "Hattie," who were infected with TB. Eventually, both elephants passed away as a result of this sickness. "Joyce" simply collapsed one day and died. "Hattie" fell just three days after "Joyce's" death, where she was simply pushed into a trailer by circus employees to die alone while being carted back to her winter quarters. Each elephant had given rides to children up to the day before their deaths. (Children and the elderly are the most susceptible to this particular disease.) Since this incident, numerous employees at the company from which "Hattie" and "Joyce" came from, the Hawthorn Corporation, have tested positive for TB. Because TB can lie inactive for many months, it is still unknown as to how many visitors of the Circus Vargas were infected by the disease.

   This is not the only incident for which Hawthorn has made a name for itself. Due to the company's TB record, Hawthorn was prevented from shipping two elephants into the state of Florida. The company demanded that both elephants were TB free but later medical tests proved otherwise. Since then, at least 12 more elephants at Hawthorn have tested positive for TB. Fully aware of their infected elephants, Hawthorn was caught trying to sneak a TB positive elephant into Puerto Rico to perform in a circus. Even though the USDA imposed a 21-day suspension, Hawthorn continued to rent out animals to circuses. In July 1997, the infected animals were known to be shackled in a storage building for six months at a time, almost 24 hours a day ~ a perfect breeding ground for the disease!

   It is obvious that the circus industry and the agencies responsible for its regulation have been anything but attentive when it comes to the safekeeping of both its animals and its spectators. If you do not chose to boycott animal circuses for the safety and concern of the animals, do it for you and your family's health. It could mean your life!

Start Your Own Petition to Ban Live Animal Circuses in Your Community

   The time is right for animal activists everywhere to circulate petitions in their city, state, or country requesting that circuses with animal acts be banned.
(Sample Petition follows below.) Helpful Hints include:

   * Make sure only eligible voters sign (over 18-year-old residents),
   * Remind people to write legibly,
   * Have fliers on the issues on hand (ask your favorite animal rights organization for help),
   * Stand outside supermarkets, pet shops, subway stations, etc., to reach the most people. Don't forget to put petitions on any information tables you set up, and
   * Encourage group members to collect signatures on their own and RETURN THEM TO YOU.

   SAMPLE PETITION:

   Whereas animals used in the circus, and other traveling acts, travel thousands of miles each year without water, in railroad cars or trucks neither air-conditioned in summer nor heated in winter;
   Whereas animals used in the circus and other traveling acts are forced to stand in their own waste, chained in place for up to 100 hours while being transported from one performance to another, and do not receive the proper care, nutrition, and environmental enrichment required for their well-being;
   Whereas animals used in the circus and other traveling acts are highly intelligent, evolved and emotional individual beings and, as such, suffer terribly while being used for human "entertainment"; their basic need for live vegetation or prey, family relationships, and freedom of movement being denied;
   Whereas training for animals used in the circus and other traveling acts is almost always based on fear and intimidation (It is not uncommon for elephants to be tied down and beaten for days at a time with clubs, shocked with electric prods, stabbed with sharp hooks and whipped. Exotic cats and bears are whipped, choked, and beaten; their noses broken and paws burned with cigarette lighters to get them to balance on their hind legs, jump through fiery hoops and
perform other unnatural acts);
   Whereas animals used in the circus and other traveling acts have struck back out of understandable despair, frustration, and rage, causing over 100 human deaths and mutilations since 1990;
   WE, THEREFORE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF (fill in the name of your community), DO NOT FIND CIRCUSES AND TRAVELING ACTS USING ANIMALS WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT AND URGE OUR (commissioners, city council, or other) TO, IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY, MORE EFFICIENT USE OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY, AND THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS, PASS AN ANIMAL DISPLAY BAN.

   PRINT: NAME
                SIGNATURE
                ADDRESS(include zip)
                PHONE(optional)

   For further information, including how to strategize, make a FOIA request, approach your Mayor, develop a public library/city hall display, etc., contact Shannon Slavin at SHANNONS@PETA-Online.org
Source: artemisd123@hotmail.com

The Circus Hall of Shame
by SavingLife@aol.com
   While commenting to the government on animal training, Ringling compared bull hooks and whips on animals to methods used to teach children. "Negative reinforcement occurs daily when a child is told 'no' or is physically prevented from engaging in an unwanted or inappropriate behavior. Similarly, negative reinforcement and discipline are tools which ultimately protect the animal and the individuals working with the animal; by discouraging and eliminating unwanted    behavior, the animal's life is enriched and safer."

   The Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus has committed some of the most disgusting acts of cruelty toward circus animals. Not only do they have a string of USDA inspection reports (more than 100 instances since 1992) riddled with circumstances in which Ringling failed to abide by the minimal federal regulations, but the majority of their elephants have actually been stolen from
the wild, one of the cruelest acts that can be committed against an animal. In addition, Ringling would love to have you believe that, in their own words, "the relationship between animals and humans is built on mutual respect, trust, and affection."
   Yet, Ringling trainers caught on video have been shown demonstrating activities that can be called anything but respectful and affectionate.

   2/99: During a USDA inspection, an inspector reported that "there were large visible lesions on the rear legs of both 'Doc' and 'Angelica' " (baby elephants).
   When questioned as to the cause of these lesions, it was stated that "these scars were caused by rope burns, resulting from the separation process from the mothers."

   1/24/98: An endangered baby Asian elephant, "Kenny," who was performing in the Ringling circus, was forced to perform in two shows despite the fact that he was obviously sick. He died only hours later. Kenny had been taken from his mother at only two years of age and sent on the road where he was chained when he was not performing.

   1/7/98: Graham Chipperfield, a Ringling trainer, shot a caged tiger, "Arnold", five   times after the tiger had attacked another trainer, Chipperfield's brother, earlier that day.

   * In addition to the horrendous treatment shown to its captive animals, Ringling has also failed to provide for the mere safekeeping of its animals:

   7/26/99, Texas: A young elephant drowned in a pool during a travel stop in Texas. The elephant was the fifth Ringling Circus animal to die in the last 18 months.

   2/22/99, Norfolk, VA: A 15 year-old Polish Arabian horse, named "Sabre", collapsed and died during a procession of the animals to a civic center. Polish Arabian horses may live to the age of 30 years.

   * Still, Ringling is not alone in its mistreatment of circus animals.

   8/21/99: "Petunia," an Asian elephant, died at Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros.' winter headquarters in Florida several weeks after suffering severe injuries to her back and hindquarters. "Petunia's" injuries resulted from a tent pole collapsing on top of her as she was being worked to help raise the circus's big top for a performance.

   6/98: During two separate inspections of the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus, the USDA's APHIS found several elephants with wounds evidently inflicted by abusive use of an ankus (elephant hook). In a press release issued by the agency, the USDA stated, "We believe that Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers Circus abusively used an elephant hook on several animals."

   4/3/98: Eight horses were turned over to the San Bernardino Humane Society after they were found to be malnourished. The Sterling & Reid Brothers Circus was charged with cruelty to animals.

   8/6/97: An elephant in the King Royal Bros. Circus, named "Heather," was found dead inside a trailer carrying two other elephants and eight llamas. Police, who spotted the vehicle swaying in a parking lot, estimated the temperature inside the vehicle to be 120 degrees. Necropsy results gave the cause of death as salmonella poisoning complicated by malnutrition and stress. "Heather" had been taken as a baby from her African homeland shortly before the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banned the trade in Asian and African elephants in 1990.

   8/1/97: An employee of Allen Brothers Circus was charged with four counts of animal cruelty for leaving two Bengal tigers and two lions for over eight hours in a disabled trailer along a road near Lima, Ohio. A marketing coordinator for the Toledo Zoo said, "the animals were in a metal trailer in the hot sun without access to water."

   10/20/95: A 14-year-old puma in the Russian All-Star Circus, named "Nice," was found dead in his cage. The suspected cause was poisoning.

   8/19/91: Several witnesses reported a man beating a baby elephant with a shovel after he pulled his truck into a restaurant parking lot. The elephant and the man were in town with the Great American Circus. One witness said she could hear the elephant shrieking from inside the restaurant. Another said the man hit the elephant 15 or 20 times with a shovel, then left when he noticed people staring at him.

   These travesties committed against the animal kingdom must not be allowed to continue! Several countries, such as Sweden, India, Finland, Switzerland, and Denmark, have banned the use of live animals in entertainment. Circuses with animal acts are often denied public space in England. In the US, many local and state governments have outlawed animal acts. However, the majority of states continue to allow circuses with animal entertainment to stop in their
towns.
   While a particular state's anti-cruelty statutes may be directly violated by the cruel training techniques inflicted upon performing animals, USDA licensed operations are exempt from such statutes in a handful of states. This means that the torture is allowed to continue despite what state laws say. In two states, circuses are exempt completely from the anti-cruelty statues, which means that prosecution of abuse and torture committed against the circus animals is
most likely impossible.

   For help in proposing legislation to ban live animal entertainment in your state, contact the Humane Society of the United States Government Affairs staff at 2100L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 210037 or (202) 452-1100.

For more information, visit Circuses and the Law
To read the USDA reports of circuses with live animal entertainment, visit
www.circuses.com/facts.html

Where Are the Regulating Bodies?
by SavingLife@aol.com

   The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) has been delegated the responsibility of regulating the care and treatment of captive performing animals. While we would expect the AWA to protect performing animals, they merely set minimum housing and maintenance regulations and nothing more. In addition, while the AWA requires that animal exhibits be licensed by the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), there are approximately 8,000 facilities in the US which use live animal entertainment and only 85 APHIS inspectors and 64 AWA
inspectors.
   The USDA determined in 1992 that "APHIS cannot ensure the humane care and treatment of animals as required by the Act. APHIS did not inspect facilities with reliable frequency, and it did not enforce timely corrections of violations during inspections."

   In addition to insufficient regulations, the major reason that the pitiable living conditions for, and inhumane treatment of, circus animals has been allowed to continue is due to a serious lack in federal funding for the AWA. With only 64 inspectors representing the AWA, annual inspections have dropped 40 percent since 1991. In fact, there are many organizations that have gone without inspection for years at a time. When these companies are inspected, they are found to be in violation of the AWA's very minimal standards 45 percent of the time!

   For the first time in almost a decade, the Animal Care Program budget has received an increase of $1 million! While this is definitely a positive step in the right direction, in light of other budget spending, this is a fairly small increase.

   The HSUS is calling on all citizens concerned with the welfare of circus animals to contact the Clinton Administration and request a $5 million increase for the USDA's Animal Care Program with the next budget proposal, so to be submitted to Congress. Since this is a time sensitive subject, it is important that you send your letters today!

   Contact:

   Honorable Jack Lew, Director
   Office of Management and Budget
   Old Executive Office Building
   Washington, D.D. 20503
   Fax: (202) 395-1005

   Honorable Dan Glickman, Secretary of Agriculture
   14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250
   Fax: (202) 720-2166
   Email: lynne.finnerty@usda.gov

Circus Protest Signs

"Animals are not our slaves!"
"Animals are not ours to exploit"
"Circus animals - A lifetime of misery for an hour of entertainment"
"Circus Animals Are Dying To Amuse You"
"Circus animals never have a good day!"
"Circus Elephants - DYING to entertain you!" (Try and show a picture here of Tyke the elephant being shot by police )
"Circus: No fun for animals!"
"Circuses Yes. Animals No!" (Surrounding a picture of elephant & baby in wild)
"Clowns Yes! Elephants no!"
"DANCE - or they may smash your legs with an iron bar"
"Don't put your child on someone who's wild!" (when protesting against elephant rides)
"Get hooked on compassion not bull hooks!"
"If God put them here for our use, then why were we the ones who were kicked out of Eden?"
"JUMP - or they could shock you with an electric prod"
"JUMP - or they just might beat you with a bullwhip"
"Respect fellow earthlings!"
"She grew old in chains... will you let that happen to her children?" (picture of old, beaten circus elephant, w/ or w/out baby)
"The circus makes animals sad"
"You Choose To Go To Circuses - Animals Do Not!"

At Last ~ A Possibility of Hope
For Circus Elephants

   Congressman Farr has introduced a very important and revolutionary piece of legislature, H.R.2929, the "Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act of 1999," that has the potential to end the exploitation of captive elephants, by prohibiting certain conduct relating to captive elephants, including banning the use of elephants in traveling shows and circuses as well as elephant rides.

   Since the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is unable to prevent further suffering and is, according to its own documents, enforcing only "minimum standards," legislation is necessary to alleviate the suffering of elephants in traveling shows.

   Directly below you will find sample letters asking House Representatives to co-sponsor the Farr legislation and Senators to introduce a similar legislature in the Senate. Please type your name and address at the bottom of each letter and email them to your Representative and Senators. The animals are counting on you!

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   RE: Please Co-sponsor the Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act-H.R. 2929

   Dear Representative (YOUR REP'S NAME):

   United States Congressman Sam Farr has proposed a bill that would prohibit the use of elephants in circuses and traveling sideshows. I urge you to co-sponsor (if you have not done so already) Mr. Farr's Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act-H.R. 2929.

   Elephants suffer terribly from the rigors of travel and training in circuses. In the wild they travel up to 30 miles a day. In captivity for entertainment they are deprived of their natural behaviors and are chained by one front leg and one back leg for 95-99% of their lives.

   In circuses the elephants' complex social structure is destroyed. Many circuses and sideshows keep solitary elephants, which is extremely cruel. Elephants in circuses continually sway and exhibit neurotic behavior resulting from extreme stress from severe confinement. Elephants are often chained in scorching hot boxcars for 18 hours, unable to move from their own excrement. Elephants left for days in trucks and boxcars have been found dead inside. Elephants are beaten and broken to perform tricks for audiences who are unaware of the horror circus animals endure.

   Elephant exhibits are very dangerous for people, especially children. In the last nine years captive elephant attacks have resulted in at least 18 deaths and about 100 injuries, including trainers, bystanders and riders. Elephants also pose a threat of infecting the public with tuberculosis.

   I hope I can count on your support to outlaw the cruelty and the danger of wild elephant exhibits. Using animals in "entertainment" is not worth the harm caused to these sensitive, intelligent beings. It is not worth putting the public at risk.

   Sincerely,
   (YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   RE: Please introduce Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act

   Dear Senator (YOUR SENATOR'S NAME):

   United States Congressman Sam Farr has proposed a bill in the House that would prohibit the use of elephants in circuses and traveling sideshows. The bill is called the Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act-H.R. 2929. I urge you to introduce a similar bill in the Senate.

   Elephants suffer terribly from the rigors of travel and training in circuses. In the wild they travel up to 30 miles a day. In captivity for entertainment they are deprived of their natural behaviors and are chained by one front leg and one back leg for 95-99% of their lives.

   In circuses the elephants' complex social structure is destroyed. Many circuses and sideshows keep solitary elephants, which is extremely cruel. Elephants in circuses continually sway and exhibit neurotic behavior resulting from extreme stress from severe confinement. Elephants are often chained in scorching hot boxcars for 18 hours, unable to move from their own excrement. Elephants left for days in trucks and boxcars have been found dead inside. Elephants are beaten and broken to perform tricks for audiences who are unaware of the horror circus animals endure.

   Elephant exhibits are very dangerous for people, especially children. In the last nine years captive elephant attacks have resulted in at least 18 deaths and about 100 injuries, including trainers, bystanders and riders. Elephants also pose a threat of infecting the public with tuberculosis.

   I hope I can count on your support to outlaw the cruelty and the danger of wild elephant exhibits. Using animals in "entertainment" is not worth the harm caused to these sensitive, intelligent beings. It is not worth putting the public at risk.

   Sincerely,
   (YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS)

Source: elocin@flash.net

A Farewell Prayer for Arnold the Tiger
      by Elise Matthes, Sarasota In Defense of Animals
Email: SMatthes@aol.com

Oh Great Spirit of the Universe
      We commend your creature, Arnold, back to you.
May he be granted the peace in death
      That was denied him in life.
May his spirit in eternity be liberated --
      With freedom to choose according to his own nature.

In death may he never recall the sting of a whip,
      The scorching flames of a fire hoop,
Or the indignities of being a circus spectacle.

Grant also that we find it in our hearts
      To forgive those who enslaved Arnold in life
Who themselves became victims of their own choices.

May we who mourn for Arnold today
      Find solace in our mission to empty the cages --
To end the exploitation of captive wild animals.

May our sadness of saying good-bye to Arnold serve
      As inspiration to liberate all of Arnold's tortured kin
Who are victims of human ignorance, arrogance and greed.

In Arnold's memory, we will not rest until ALL animal acts are abolished.

We ask for nothing more. We accept nothing less.

Quotes to Remember

   "How do you get a 10,000 pound elephant's attention? Hit him, that's how."
~ Saul Kitchener, director of the San Francisco Zoological Gardens

   "They are trying to turn these elephants into circus performers. You have to motivate them, and the way you do that is by beating the hell out of them."
~ Zookeeper, Paul Hunter


    Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
    Animal Rights Online
P O Box 7053
     Tampa, Fl 33673-7053
    http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1395/
    Message board:
    http://www.envirolink.org/arrs/index.html
    Animal Rights Resource Site


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