Prince George Citizen

Monday, July 17, 2006
Councillor Gives the Thumbs-up to Circus
By Mark Nielsen, Citizen Staff

City councilor Glen Scott took in more than just the show when the Jordan World Circus performed Saturday at CN Centre – he also toured the behind-the scenes facilities and came away convinced there was no mistreatment of animals.

“I found no mishandling, no mistreatment, no misuse of any of the animals,” he said.

However, Kathi Travers, who is trying to convince council to ban circuses that feature exotic animals performing tricks from Prince George, said Scott is no expert on the subject.

“Coun. Scott is in no more of a position to judge what goes on in a circus than I am to judge a lacrosse game,” she said.

Travers, who worked with exotic animals prior to moving to this city, is trying to convince council to pass a bylaw banning circuses that feature exotic animals performing tricks from Prince George.

She said the animals have all suffered their share of abuse well before they arrive in Prince George.

“It’s all about behaviours, unnatural things that these animals are asked to perform,” she said.

“When someone sent a letter to the editor saying we ask our dogs to do that, we do not use electric shocks to teach our dogs to roll over.”

Scott said he inspected the trailers where the elephants were kept and found them to be clean with a reasonable amount of room. He also talked with the trainer and was told about the inspections they’re subject to and the regulations they must meet.

And he said it’s in the circus’ own best interest to treat their animals well.

“If you make your living handling wild animals or animals of any kind, you’re going to make sure that they’re properly looked after,” he said.

Travers, who is active in the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and writes a weekly animals column for the Citizen, has stressed that such a bylaw would not apply to dogs, horses and other domesticated animals, but rather tigers, elephants, bears, apes, chimpanzees and lions who have been taken out of their environments and made to do things they wouldn’t do in the wild.

Travers said she had worked with exotic animals for many years prior to moving to Prince George and part of her job was to investigate circuses and contended they’re not treated properly.

“It’s a different world, it’s a world I’ve lived in and I’m aware of,” she said.