http://www.elephants.com/media/NorwichBulletin_6_16_08.htm
We, as a society, need to take a stand against animal abuse
Original Article
By Sharma Howard
Norwich Bulletin
June 16, 2008
Weeks back, I wrote a column about the circus — and I received more comments on it than anything I have ever written.
E-mails poured in locally, and from all over the country, and I realized how ready we are as a society to move forward in our treatment of animals — to consider, especially, the cadre of animals commonly used in circuses that are exotic, outside the domestic sphere and therefore intrinsically unsuited for a life of travel and submission, as they learn tricks that betray their instincts, all for human amusement.
I don’t suggest circuses don’t have merit — they do. How I enjoyed them as a child! And I would pass that enjoyment on to my children if the circus would evolve with the times and simply bring their fabulous entertainers and invest in building up their acrobats and artistry instead of more years of bondage and suffering for their animals.
And no animal is more emblematic of the circus than the majestic elephant — they are its icon; their appearance trumpets the kind of grandiosity woven into the tradition of the circus. The two have become entwined in America’s consciousness, but they need to part ways now, and our children will be all the better for it.
The Cole Bros. Circus is coming Wednesday and Thursday to Dodd Stadium in Norwich, and with them they bring an elephant. It’s unclear the name of the elephant; at first, I was told it would be Annette Marie — later, Topsy, a 48-year-old Asian elephant.
State Rep. Diana Urban, one of the people who contacted me, sent me a link to a video of Topsy, showing her giving rides to children. Topsy is owned by Frank Murray of Elephant Walk, who leases elephants to Cole Bro
The video concerned Urban, who is chairwoman of the Speaker’s Task Force on Animal Abuse and the Circle of Violence. She has introduced a bill in the legislature to make the use of bullhooks illegal in Connecticut. Bullhooks frequently are used by trainers to control elephants.
Urban is worried about the visible limp Topsy displays in the video as she trods around in a circle, children perched on her back as they, and their parents, wave happily. The dichotomy between their oblivious joy and the elephant’s difficulty in delivering it is wrenching.
At one point in the video, Topsy stumbles precariously.
Concerned, Urban had been trying to get her checked by a veterinarian, but met with a runaround from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
To his credit, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, extended his help in the matter.
Ron West, a marketing director for Cole Bros., informed me that the elephant (he didn’t know her name) had been born with one leg shorter than the other and invited me to come and see how the elephants were handled, assuring me they were given the very best of care, and they would be traveling only 60 miles before arriving in Norwich.
He said their elephants travel nine months out of the year, and have veterinarians who travel with them.
“They’re our bread and butter. They have the very best care,” he said.
His explanation of her limp was consistent with what other circus officials had told Urban.
Perhaps because of Urban’s intervention, I found out late last week Topsy would not be coming to Norwich after all.
But the fact another elephant has been substituted for Topsy is still of concern. According to the Elephant Sanctuary based in Hohenwald, Tenn., giving rides isn’t healthy for elephants.
Comment from Carol Buckley, Co-Founder & Director of The Elephant Sanctuary: "It has been suggested that elephant rides are a good form of exercise for captive elephants. Certainly if an elephant is chained for hours each day, or living in an extremely small zoo enclosure, there is benefit to almost any activity that allows them to move, but the ride alternative is not to be considered an acceptable alternative to proper husbandry. Elephants must engage in forms of exercise that will exercise their full range of motion to insure a healthy body and mind. As much of this exercise as possible must be free choice and not dictated exercise."
The repetition of small movements, such as the circles they loop during a ride, stated the sanctuary, is detrimental to their health as it can have “accumulated negative effects on the joints and muscles of the elephant that does rides for any length of time.” It also wears down their foot pads and nails in unnatural ways.
One of the serious health problems facing captive elephants affects their feet, which are designed to walk 20-50 miles a day in sand and similar surfaces. Yet in zoos and circuses, they mostly are exposed to hard surfaces, including concrete. This can cause foot rot in elephants.
Comment from Carol Buckley, Co-Founder & Director of The Elephant Sanctuary: "Sand alone is not adequate substrate, a varied substrate is best."
There is danger to humans, as well, that makes close contact to elephants a risk. Among the diseases that can flow between humans and elephants is MRSA and tuberculosis, according to Deborah Robinson, a circus elephant specialist.
From my brief research, I can see how tragically misguided we are in our “love” for elephants. It’s natural to be curious about these intelligent, distinctive creatures that hold sway with an exotic beauty and mystery over us. Yet let’s do better and learn to care for them thoughtfully — and limit the number of elephants we bring to this country so we can have the right resources and facilities for these wild animals who deserve so much more. We are misguided, and cruel, to impose expectations on them as if they were domestic animals.
Comment from Carol Buckley, Co-Founder & Director of The Elephant Sanctuary: "Importation of elephants is strictly monitored making importation nearly impossible."
In India, Austria, Sweden, Costa Rica, Finland and Singapore, the use of animals in entertainment has been banned or restricted. Let’s join them, and support circuses that do the same.
If your children would like to learn more about elephants, they may view them online via a live webcam at the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where the retired elephants have 2,700 acres in which to roam. They also have each other to bond with, and all are retired, enjoying humans who have implemented a nondominant management system called passive-control, based upon mutual respect and trust. The sanctuary is the largest rescuer of circus and zoo elephants in the United States.
Viewers may observe the elephants and learn more about their stories by visiting www.elephants.com