Graphic Video: California Towns Ban Bullhooks For Elephants

 “Seriously, if you were caught using a bullhook, stick or broom etc. on a dog, cat or horse etc. whipping or poking it until it bleeds; I’m sure, you would be charged with animal abuse; & quite rightly so! These bullhooks are used to control elephants; via pain, just as various other weapons are used for the rest of the circus animals! Elephants may have thick skin, but did you know they can feel a fly land on them?? So how do you think a bullhook feels to an elephant when it’s used aggressively by an impatient trainer or handlers mucking out stalls etc. I bet it hurts like hell! Bullhooks are used to keep circus elephants in check, by tugging on sensitive parts of the elephant like their ear’s & gouging at their legs to make them perform unnatural tricks for the paying audience! Elephants were not made to entertain humans, which is why they are forced by the bullhook & electric prods (verified on undercover surveillance) to entertain! How else would one get an elephant to lift off front or rear feet, walk around a big ball with one foot on it, the other turning it, or how about getting them to do a handstand; using their trunks as a balancing aid? I’m pretty sure they don’t conform to words alone, or snacks! These elephants are performing stunts in such a way as they would never, in the wild; their bodies are simply not made to do balancing acts, it’s so unnatural for them to even consider doing tricks…but a bullhook used by a human, aimed at the right place, makes it much easier to get the job done, by causing pain. They’re not dogs who can learn a trick within half an hour using treats alone. Plus the tricks elephants are forced to do; adds injuries to their ailments later in life!!!

“Those that intentionally inflict pain & suffering & enjoy carrying out their sickening hold on animals, are not worthy of being called animal trainers or handlers etc.; they are good for one thing; picking up the mess after said animal has been to the toilet!! If they can yank an elephant round, how do the treat their family pets? They shouldn’t be or in the care of any animal; if they don’t mind whacking an elephant around its body, for simply getting a verbal command right!! Torture devices can be used right under the noses of the people, paying to watch the elephants or other animals at the circus; paying customers have no idea the animals are suffering; whilst performing ridiculous tricks! Innocent looking walking sticks can be used to enforce pain, yet they look totally harmless to the distanced crowd! However, they are anything but innocent, a simple walking stick can be turned into a torture device used on any animals whilst performing etc. Props like this can have spiked nails in one end that the trainers uses to control the animals! Those watching the performance wouldn’t be able to see nails in sticks etc…they are simply too far away; but it still looks so innocent to those watching!”

“To be honest I’m astounded that more elephants haven’t attacked, killed their trainers or gone on a rampage; like several have over the years, due to the constant abuse from humans carrying  bullhooks or other items, such as a walking cane, filled with spiked nails, that when touched, cause pain etc! Could it be that elephants who were caught in the wild, remember the heartache of being taken from family & the torture chamber called the Phajaan? I’m sure those that were caught wild will never ever forget the pain of being taken from its mother & family! But it’s the Phajaan, the poor little elephant will remember forever, because that was home where he was a victim to horrendous abuse! The Phajaan is where all wild caught small elephants are horrifically tortured daily; used for one reason other than a horror chamber…it breaks the spirit of the elephant!

 Once they are in the Phajaan they can’t turn or even lay down; heavy duty rope or chains cause terrible suffering & injuries! Each foot is tied down so tightly to stop them having any chance of hurting the people who are torturing them. Rope is tied around the neck & body so there is no way they can escape! Food & water is used as a training tool too (it still is being used today) the elephants get neither if they haven’t complied with the human commands being barked at them all day for weeks or months! The elephant will stay tied in the phajaan, being whipped, poked & prodded daily to the point of bleeding from  wounds!! It stops, only when & depending on how quickly the humans can break the little elephants spirit! That is what the phajaan is made for…to literally break the elephant down, both physically & mentally, until it has no fight left in it & the elephant starts to obey the human commands!! Captured young, these elephants have to be submissive before they can be trained for log work or to be sent somewhere to be trained as a circus elephant! Nobody will pay for an elephant if it will not obey human commands. The Phajaan is used as a medieval cage of wood & it succeeds in breaking the most hardened spirit of an elephant…over time the elephant just won’t be able to stand the beatings or go on without water or food; he must submit to stop the pain & he realises; he is now a slave to humans!”

“I have a theory about why most captured elephants try not to retaliate after a beating with a bullhook etc. They say elephants have fantastic memories…well perhaps it’s the thought of being taken back to that torture chamber, where the elephants endured terrible suffering & beatings…in the Phajaan; at the hands of humans!! The horror of that place must be tattooed in the memory of every elephant that suffered there. The elephants don’t understand they will never return to that horrible place if they don’t conform. The Phajaan & the humans, who mentally & physically broke them using such weapons like the bullhooks, will stay with the elephants forever! They may be in a different place, but it is still the humans who control them! Do the elephants even know their own power & strength against humans; probably not, because it was forced out of them in the Phajaan? They only know that humans are the leaders & with their torture tools, can still physically beat & hurt the elephants, if they don’t comply!!”

“Could fear alone stop the elephants from causing harm to their trainers or owners, after all, thats all the elephants know about humans; how much pain they can cause! When they are shipped off to do other work, where all elephants know of humans is they are to be feared & must be obeyed in order not to receive punishment, I wonder if the new elephant looks at the other elephants old wounds & realises; that they too came through the same cruel path!  So do they actually behave & perform out of fear? Fear of going back to the Phajaan perhaps ensures most elephants comply! What do you think?”

“Please watch the video below, to help understand what elephants endure through life. A circus elephant could have come through the same route; tortured & abused in the Phajaan, their spirits forever broken at the hands of humans!”

By Kristin J. Bender Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. — The circus will stop coming to Oakland in a few years after a tool used by elephant handlers was banned in the city.

The Oakland City Council earlier this week unanimously approved an ordinance outlawing bullhooks. The instrument resembles a fireplace poker, with a sharp hook on one end that is used by trainers to control the animals. 

Tom Rider, a former circus elephant trainer, shows a bullhook that is used by elephant trainers. The Oakland, Calif., City Council earlier this week unanimously approved an ordinance outlawing bullhooks, an instrument resembling a fireplace poker with a sharp hook on one end that is used by trainers to control the animals. Oakland is now the second city in California, after Los Angeles, to ban the use of a bullhooks. File photo

Oakland is now the second California city, after Los Angeles, to ban the use of a bullhooks. The circus will stop performing in Los Angeles in summer 2016. The Oakland ban takes effect in 2017.

“(That) will be the last time we will be in Oakland because we can’t perform without the elephants,” said Stephen Payne, spokesman for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

But the circus is still holding out hope about having future performances in Oakland. “We may see if the Oakland City Council wants to reconsider,” he said. Payne said the move is a loss for people who enjoy the circus. An estimated 30,000 people attended the Oakland circus over six days last summer, he said.

“Please Note Viewer Discretion advised! “Breaking the spirit of a young wild elephant” to be used to pull logs, work in the tourist industry or sold onto circuses”

“To Truly understand how an elephant’s spirit is broken & make them afraid of man…you really should watch this video”

Published on 8 Mar 2012

Here are the images of the training of wild elephants that are caught for the tourist trade. Please remind yourself and tell others that by visiting elephant camps you are supporting this!

The Oakland Zoo and animal rights activists supported the ordinance, saying bullhooks are cruel and inhumane. Other U.S. cities to ban bullhooks include Miami Beach, Florida.

Proponents say the tool is designed to give trainers dominance over elephants and does not hurt or harm the animal. “A lot of the information that was presented to the Oakland City Council by the proponents was designed to distort our animal care,” Payne said.

Oakland Zoo Chief Executive Officer Joel Parrott said the practice hearkens back to the turn of the 20th century and has no place in modern times.

“If I suggested using a bullhook on giraffes to get them through gates or to stab tigers to get them to do what I want them to do, everybody would react,” Parrott said. “The only reason it’s acceptable is we’ve grown used to it with the elephants.”

News Link:-http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141219/business/141218357/

“Quote links below; read the & find out something you never knew about elephants”         

                                                                                                     The Sense of Touch

Despite its thickness, an elephant’s skin is very sensitive, to the point where it can feel a fly land on its back. Surprisingly, it is also sensitive to the sun, and baby elephants are even known to sunburn. The species’ notorious love for mud and baths helps alleviate both of these problems.

If you liked this article and the Bonus Facts below, you might also enjoy:

• Do Elephants Really Have Exceptional Memories?
• The Elephant Condemned to Death by Hanging
• 12 Interesting Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Rhinoceroses
• How the Sun Burns Your Skin and How Sunscreen Prevents This
• Why Skin Wrinkles in Water

Bonus Elephant Facts

• Elephants can be either “right-handed” or “left-handed,” and this is often shown by greater wear on one tusk as opposed to the other. Dogs and Cats are also often right or left “handed”.
• Unlike the rhinoceros, whose horn is made of hair-like keratin, elephant tusks are actually overgrown incisors. Incredibly long, at least one-third of an elephant’s tusk is inside the animal’s head, outside of view. The outside, ivory part of the tusk is, like its other teeth, comprised of dentine surrounded by a layer of enamel. An elephant’s tusks never stop growing.
• The heaviest tusks recorded weigh about 220 pounds per tusk, while the longest ever discovered were 11 feet long! Tusks today are generally much smaller due to the ivory trade and poaching keeping them from reaching such mammoth sizes.
• In a rare example of unanimity, the whole world banned the trade in ivory in 1989 with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). In the decade preceding the agreement, more than half of Africa’s elephants had been killed in order to harvest the ivory, and today, poaching continues. In fact, in 2011, only a portion of the largest seizures collected found in excess of 50 thousand pounds of poached ivory. To combat this, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) had proposed regulations in February 2014 that would have placed “a near-total ban on anything made with ivory moving in and out of the U.S.” However, the sweeping regulation had many concerned that it would inhibit the transportation of “old ivory,” such as that found in antique pieces of art and musical instruments. After a public outcry, particularly from concert musicians who often need to travel with their antique, ivory-fitted instruments to perform, FWS carved out an exception in May 2014.
• Today there are somewhere between 400,000 and 600,000 African elephants remaining, and, unless things change, they are predicted to become locally extinct within 50 years

News Link with more interesting facts about elephants:–http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/07/skin-african-elephant/

GRAPHIC VIDEO: R.I.P… PAWS Says Goodbye To Beloved Asian Elephant Annie.‏

It is with very heavy hearts that we at PAWS share news of the passing of our dear friend, Asian elephant Annie – best known for her joyous romps in the lake that is part of our Asian elephant habitat at the ARK 2000 sanctuary. She had endured severe arthritis and foot disease, which gradually worsened over many years. After it became clear that the medications and treatments used to treat her chronic conditions were no longer providing relief, she was humanely euthanized on Tuesday, while lying on soft soil and surrounded by those who cared for and loved her. At age 55, she was among the oldest Asian elephants in North America.

“Everyone at PAWS will miss Annie. She was a very special elephant,” said PAWS president Ed Stewart. “I’m proud we were able to give her a peaceful and more natural life at the PAWS sanctuary for nearly 20 years. We restored her dignity and gave her the care and respect she deserved.”

Annie was born in Assam, India, around 1960, and taken from her mother at a very early age for use in the zoo industry. She was immediately put on display in a zoo in Wisconsin, where she spent much of her life chained to a concrete floor.

In 1994, the nation was shocked by videos showing Annie and her companion Tammy being cruelly trained. While held by ropes and chains handlers “broke” the elephants, mercilessly beating them into submission. This was no undercover video; the zoo recorded the training session as instruction for other keepers. (This footage was included in the 2013 HBO documentary, “An Apology to Elephants,” narrated by actress and comedienne – and friend of PAWS – Lily Tomlin.) Under public pressure, the zoo opted to relocate the elephants to PAWS.

Annie arrived at PAWS in 1995, rescued from the Wisconsin zoo with Tammy, who passed away in 2003 at age 52 from chronic foot disease and arthritis – the leading causes of death for elephants in captivity. Despite their great intelligence and size, in captivity elephants are forced to live in small, barren enclosures that cause a multitude of physical and psychological harms. Their social, physical and psychological complexities may make them one of the most deprived of all captive wild animals.

Annie keeps cool in the lake, provided for all the animals; this is as free as any captive animal can be, pure heaven for all!

Annie’s life at the PAWS ARK 2000 sanctuary was far closer to what elephants naturally need. She had a sprawling habitat in which to roam, elephant companions, soft grass to lie down and nap on, and a lake in which she loved to bob, splash and swim. It was always a joy to see Annie enjoying her habitat – something we often shared with you on our Facebook page and on Youtube.

Over the years, Annie experienced a variety of health problems, including an injury caused by a bull elephant during forced mating. Her arthritis and foot problems had progressed, including a severe foot abscess. In 2012, Annie tested positive for tuberculosis, but never exhibited symptoms of the disease. Her general condition remained good, including normal appetite and weight, but Annie’s arthritis and foot disease ultimately made movement unbearably painful for her. Tuberculosis has been diagnosed in many elephants used for circuses and to give rides, and in zoos such as the Oregon Zoo and St. Louis Zoo.

It is a sad fact that by the time most elephants come to PAWS they are suffering the debilitating effects of a life spent in inadequate captive conditions. Annie was no exception. Had she remained in her native home, she likely would have been leading a full and enriched life today, surrounded by a family of her own.

“Our job at PAWS is to restore dignity to captive elephants and, for elephants like Annie and Tammy, give them a life free from beatings and chains,” explained Ed. “We did our best for them, and continue to make a significant difference in the lives of all the elephants and other wild animals under our care.”

As is customary for all elephants that pass away at PAWS, a necropsy is being performed on Annie’s remains by pathologists from U.C. Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital and tissue samples sent to a laboratory.

PAWS thanks everyone who has ever cared about and supported Annie and helped give her – and all of the wild animals at PAWS – a life of dignity, serenity, and love. On behalf of Annie and everyone at PAWS, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts

“This next video shows pure brute strength by keepers to make Annie lay down. Watch closely & see how the bull hook is gouged into her skin to make her first lay down, then stand; Annie cries out in pain as she is manhandled, she could easily have harmed her trainers, but she didn’t. Now, listen very closely as the keepers talk about how to get her to lay down, near a diagram, around 5.29..(I can hear what sounds like an electrical shock prod) …I bet they were using it on Annie…vile acts of cruelty; just for the publics entertainment!! Annie must have thought she was in heaven when she was moved to PAWS; she finally had some freedom to behave like an elephant should, larking about in the lake & making friends with other free elephants,. I’m so grateful to PAWS for giving Annie her freedom & final home, her final resting place of peace, tranquility & compassion…God bless her soul!”

1989: Zoo training tape of Annie.

Warning: Contains graphic images that are hard to watch.

Uploaded on 5 Oct 2011

Asian elephant Annie, and her close companion Tamara, shared an elephant barn/enclosure at the Milwaukee Zoo until 1994, when videotaped recordings of cruel beatings and abusive training elicited public demands that the two elephants be sent to the PAWS sanctuary. Today Annie (Tamara died in 2002) spends her days roaming and grazing among the trees, swimming in the lake, dusting and mud-bathing before lying down to sleep on a sunny hillside.

The archaic management of elephants by zoos that have been using the Free Contact system, has been the focus of controversy between AZA and animal welfare organizations, as well as many zoo professionals who advocate the use of Protected Contact management, a safer and kinder approach to elephant management.

Free Contact allows elephant keepers and handlers to share the same space with the elephant while using the cruel weapon known as the bullhook, the ankus, or the “guide”, to control the animal and to protect the handler. This system has caused injury and death to keepers and considerable suffering to elephants. Protected Contact requires that keepers work with the animal behind barriers and eliminates the use of any weapon or punishment for the elephant. It is a system that ensures the safety of the keeper and the welfare and comfort of the elephant.

In August of this year, The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) board of directors has approved new standards that will maximize occupational safety of elephant care professionals at AZA-accredited and AZA-certified facilities. The recent release of this new policy by AZA is a giant first step toward maximizing the physical and psychological health of the elephants as well.

The Elephant Manager’s Association opposes these new standards. In a recent statement, EMA wrote: “It is the opinion of the EMA that evaluations and decisions of this sort are best made by elephant care professionals intimately involved in the program as opposed to policy makers that casually observe from a distance.”

PO Box 849

Galt, CA 95632

(209) 745-2606

info@pawsweb.org

www.pawsweb.org

 “TORTURE CHAMBER…JUST THINK ON, THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE AN ELEPHANT IN A CIRCUS OR EVEN A ZOO…THIS IS HOW THEY WERE FIRST SNATCHED FROM THEIR MOTHERS IN THE WILD; THEN TORTURED, SO THEY WOULD ACCEPT THE COMMANDS OF HUMANS; FOR THE SOUL PURPOSE OF ENTERTAINING HUMANS…HORRIFIC!!”

 VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED…BUT IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW ELEPHANTS SPIRITS ARE BROKEN SO HUMANS CAN USE THEM…PLEASE WATCH!!

Published on 8 Mar 2012

Here are the images of the training of wild elephants that are caught for the tourist trade. Please remind yourself and tell others that by visiting elephant camps you are supporting this!

Edwin Wiek of the WFFT and Khun Lek (Sangduan Chailert) of ENP are now targeted by the DNP for speaking up about the illegal wild elephant poaching and trade. This video shows what the DNP doesn’t want you to see or know about!

Kaziranga; Elephant Killed In Tiger Attack

Surely this could have been prevented? The park officials were treating the elephant, they knew it was weak, why didn’t they keep it protected? Another four including  a calf were injured by tigers; the elephants are used to patrol the parks…when not working (in an area where tigers are known to kill)  the elephants should have had some level of protection from tigers; even if it meant keeping them behind bars, there owners should have kept them safe!! I can only presume the elephants were chained or left in an open area; where tigers could get easy access!!! One can’t blame the tigers, it is nature! But a working animal (as much as I hate them being worked) should at the very least, be kept safe & away from harm, when not working!!

TNN | Oct 22, 2014, 06.00 AM IST

Eastern India; JORHAT: A 28-year-old elephant fell prey to a group of tigers at Kaziranga National Park on Tuesday. ‘Konwar’, the pachyderm, was attacked by a herd of tigers in the Mihimukh area of the park under the Kohora forest range when it was grazing there.

Park officials said the elephant was not keeping well and was under treatment. “Konwar had become weak and could not fight back,” said divisional forest officer (Kaziranga) S K Seal Sharma. The veterinarians have conducted a post mortem on the carcass and are awaiting the reports.

Another park official, who spotted the carcass near the Mihimukh anti-poaching camp, said, “Konwar was missing since Saturday morning. We had launched a search operation in the area and found Konwar lying dead around 1.30 pm. We saw four tigers roaming near the carcass.” According to records available with the park authorities, the elephant was brought here from Sonitpur district in 1986 when it was less than a year old.

Konwar was trained and the park started using it in anti-poaching operations and patrolling from 1994. The park staff mourned its death. In September four elephants, including a calf, sustained injuries in tiger attacks at Mihimukh near the second tower in the same forest range.

News Link:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Kaziranga-elephant-killed-in-tiger-attack/articleshow/44902721.cms?intenttarget=no&utm_source=TOI_AShow_OBWidget&utm_medium=Int_Ref&utm_campaign=TOI_AShow

Refuse to buy the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus stamp; sign petition

Please sign this petition:

 Stop US post office circus stamps – don’t celebrate elephant abuse!

Please, everyone, sign this petition!!!!!

 

Go to your local Post Office, any facility that sells stamps. Refuse to buy the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus stamps !!!!  Tell them to stop advertising these stamps!!!!…..The brutality the Wild Animals in the Circus suffer from is not a joyous event!!!  Wake up people!!!!   Stop the abuse happening under “THE BIG TOPS“…..You can make it possible for these magnificent beings to live a life without being beaten into doing the stupid insulting tricks they are forced to do. None of the Wild Animals do these circus routines in the wild!!!!

Nor do they do them when not in the ring!!!! These animals are living a life of cruel and unusual punishment. When not in the ring they are chained or in small cages . This is animal abuse solely for financial gain for humans. The Cirque du Soleil is magnificent, uses no wild animals and the acrobats LOVE doing the aerobatics, it is their lifetime careers……There is never a need for wild animals to suffer. Do not buy the circus stamps!!!  And PLEASE, do not attend THE BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS or any circus where wild animals are being exploited, and they all are!!!!!!

 

Thank you so much…you’re voice is important…..PLEASE USE IT!!!

 

 

 

 

Tippi Hedren

President The Roar Foundation
The Shambala Preserve

www.shambala.org

Tippi Hedren and The Roar Foundation (kathy@shambala.org)

 

21/08/2014

Related articles

• Ringling Brothers and Barnam and Bailey Circus: The Cruelest Show on Earth! (onegreenplanet.org)
• Why It’s No Fun To be a Circus Elephant (onegreenplanet.org)

Circus Owners Get Show Cause Notices

Karsten Miranda,TNN | Mar 11, 2014

MARGAO: After an inspection of the animals at the Moonlight circus that haven’t been fed properly since March 1, show cause notices were issued to the owners of the circus prior to cancellation of their performing animal registration with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and cancellation of the registration of the circus by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).

This was in pursuant to complaints filed by Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA), Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre (WRCC) and the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO).

After the crime branch arrested the circus owner and five other persons on charges of human trafficking and rape, the animals at the circus were left to starve and were recently shifted to Kudal in Maharashtra.

Puja Mitra, campaign manager, FIAPO, who first took up the issue with the Goa forest department about the welfare of the elephants at the circus site along with the other animals has appealed to the government to set up an animal rescue centre in Goa.

Mitra, who is based in Goa, added that with the creation of rescue centres, the elephants rescued from circuses can live the remainder of their life in natural surroundings without being forced to perform. “While it is cruel for any animal to be used in performance, it is even more so, in the case of the elephant,” added Mitra.

During the inspection of the circus that has four elephants, the AWBI team noted that the animals were also being subjected to cruelty using spiked foot belt to restrict their movement which are banned. Dr R M Kharb, chairman of the AWBI, pointed out that this is in violation of Section 11(1) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and that transportation rules had also been violated.

Please Note: Image of spiked leg holds not from this circus!

Kharb also requested that ‘immediate’ steps be taken to ask the Maharashtra wildlife department to move the wild animals especially the elephants from the Moonlight circus to safe shelters and a final decision about their rehabilitation be taken in due course.

“The effort now should be to remove the animals to safe holdings immediately while the formalities and paper work can continue, otherwise the animals are liable to disappear to unknown places,” said Suparna Ganguly, co-founder trustee of CUPA.

News Link:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/articleshow/31812414.cms?intenttarget=no

Related link:–http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Central-Zoo-Authority-and-Animal-Welfare-Board-of-India-issue-show-cause-notices-to-circus-owners-following-investigation/articleshow/31854176.cms

GRAPHIC MEDIA: Lion Found Hanging In Its Cage Becomes The Latest Victim Of Wretched Indonesian Animal Park Dubbed The ‘zoo of death’

“OMG…isn’t anyone helping these neglected  animals? They live in appalling conditions, which I have already written about! I’m ashamed to be called human when others are capable of this.  So who is going to help stop the animal deaths; why are animals dying? Surely the animals could be sent to other zoo’s or parks,:why are they still suffering, they need the best of care! It’s going to take a bloody miracle to get this park back to a standard fit for animals…so what are they going to do in the mean time? IF THEY DO NOTHING & THEN THE ANIMALS DEATH COUNT  WILL CONTINUE.  See the video at the end of this post; it’s just heart breaking….PLEASE SIGN THE PETITIONS BELOW. Please use Viewer Discretion.

The video does not play on its own, but is is very upsetting; So Viewer Discretion advised.

By RICHARD SHEARS PUBLISHED: 15:55, 8 January 2014 | UPDATED: 11:32, 9 January 2014

• WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE & VIDEO BELOW
• Michael the 18-month-old lion ‘got his head stuck between steel cables’
• Zoo denies negligence saying animal must have been ‘playing around’
• His body has disappeared and police have not been able to examine it
• More than 40 animals died at zoo between July and September last year
• Previous expose revealed dead giraffe had 20kgs of plastic in its stomach

Tiger’s digestive tract rotted after being fed meat laced with formaldehyde

The world’s cruellest zoo has claimed another victim after an African lion was found hanging in its cage, it emerged today.

Shocking: Michael the lion is found hanging in his cage after apparently getting his head stuck between steel cables at Surabaya Zoo in Indonesia which has been heavily criticised for its treatment of its animals

The Surabaya Zoo in Indonesia, which has outraged MailOnline readers around the world after an expose on the treatment of its animals, is being investigated by police following the death of the 18-month-old lion called Michael.

But the lion’s body was removed before police were able to examine it and cannot now be found.

A senior officer declined to say whether it was believed the zoo was trying to hamper the investigation.

Michael was found strangled in his cage after his head became stuck between steel cables, the Jakarta Globe reported today.

The tragedy comes just 24 hours after it was learned that a wildebeest died in its enclosure from a stomach problem, although the zoo said that the wet weather was partly to blame.” well of course they are not going to say otherwise!!”

The death of Michael the lion is certain to cause further demands from animal lovers around the world for urgent action to be carried out at the zoo.“Yes indeed, please sign the petition below, thanks; on behalf of the animals “

Closing it down, however, is not an option because no other zoo has expressed an interest in taking the animals. “Really? I can’t believe that?”

Latest statistics, covering the months between July and September last year, reveal that 43 animals died at the zoo during that period. “43 animal deaths, surely that is enough grounds to take away all the remaining animals & find them homes were they can behave in & on their natural habitat”

Horrific: Chained by three legs, this juvenile male elephant was one of several animals which featured in a recent expose for MailOnline last month that has outraged readers around the world

Among those which have died there previously is a giraffe that was found to have 20 kilograms of plastic in its stomach and a Sumatran tiger found to have a rotten digestive tract after being regularly fed meat laced with formaldehyde.

In the wake of Michael the lion’s death, zoo spokesman Agus Supangkat denied that his death was caused by zookeepers’ negligence.

‘We are still investigating how the steel cables could entrap the African lion’s head,‘ he told the Globe.

‘Michael was relatively young. He was only one and a half years old. It could be that he was playing around and somehow his head got stuck.’

Mr Agus said each of the zoo’s lions – there are now only four left – spends its days in two different cages.

Each morning, the lions are taken to a display cage where visitors can view them. Then, in the afternoon they are moved to another cage where they sleep, said Mr Agus.

He explained that the zoo used steel cables to secure the cage so zookeepers did not have to manually open or close the cage door with their hands.

This, he said, was a safety precaution to prevent the keepers being injured.

Michael was sent to the zoo last March by the East Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency

Emaciated: This camel’s ribs were plain to see as it ate grass in its enclosure when reporter Richard Shears visited the zoo last month

Surabaya Police detectives chief Senior Commander Farman told the Globe that a team of officers had visited the zoo to gather evidence but the corpse was missing.

He said that if the lion’s body could be found ‘we are going to wait for the autopsy results, then we can further examine the case.’ “Well somebody knows where the body is, probably the one that killed it, or found it dead, so I suggest the police move up a gear & kick some Ass!”

Dwindling numbers: A zoo spokesman said each of the lions – there are now only four left – spends its days in two different cages, one for displaying to visitors, the other for sleeping

A MailOnline investigation into the zoo before Christmas found numerous cases of animals living in miserable conditions, including a young elephant that was chained by three legs, one of which was ulcerated because of its tight shackles.

Dozens of petitions were started pleading for the zoo to be closed and animal rights groups have added their voice to the demands.

Exposed: A MailOnline probe before Christmas found several cases of animals in miserable conditions

But a management team, headed by the Surabaya Mayor, Mrs Tri Rismaharini, has resisted improvements saying they want to retain the original structures erected by Dutch colonialists in 1916.

News Link:–http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2535918/Lion-hanging-cage-latest-victim-wretched-Indonesian-animal-park-dubbed-zoo-death.html

“WTF…only a non caring animal lover would say such a thing; all zoos have to be updated to fulfil regulations etc. protecting the animal & the public. But the animals should also be allowed to exhibit normal  behaviour; to do so they better make a start & build cages that give the animal a sense of freedom, to allow natural behaviour. 

I believe all animals, whatever they do or where ever they are; are entitled to the 5 F’s

Five Freedoms

The welfare of an animal includes its physical and mental state and we consider that good animal welfare implies both fitness and a sense of well-being. Any animal kept by man, must at least, be protected from unnecessary suffering.

We believe that an animal’s welfare, whether on farm, in transit, at market or at a place of slaughter should be considered in terms of ‘five freedoms’. These freedoms define ideal states rather than standards for acceptable welfare. They form a logical and comprehensive framework for analysis of welfare within any system together with the steps and compromises necessary to safeguard and improve welfare within the proper constraints of an effective livestock industry.

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst – by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. Freedom from Discomfort – by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease – by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.

5. Freedom from Fear and Distress – by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Now I bet not many facilities can attest to the above, but they should; a simple act to follow! Surely if an animal is going to be used by humans for entertainment or killed for its meat; it is entitled to a decent life, before its last breath!!!! Living in the countryside, I’m just glad I see animals in fields  & know that I can look them in the eye , & say sorry you’re going to be slaughtered; but I shall never eat you or your friends”

Raw: Horrifying footage of starved Sumatran Tiger in ‘World’s Cruellest Zoo’

Published on 27 Dec 2013 – CCTVNEWS24/7

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TO UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY IN HELPING THESE SUFFERING ANIMALS!

Horrifying footage of starved Sumatran tiger in ‘world’s cruellest zoo’ AP visited Indonesia’s Surayaba Zoo, where 50 animals have allegedly died in the last three months. One giraffe died with 20kg of plastic bags in its stomach.

World’s cruellest zoo: Shackled elephants, starving camels, 150 pelicans crammed into one cage – and a death toll that rises daily.

More than 50 animals have died in the last three months at Indonesia’s Surayaba Zoo, a former keeper has claimed
One giraffe died last year with 20kg of plastic bags in its stomach after they blew into its cage and weren’t cleared.

In another case, a Sumatran tiger’s digestive tract rotted away after it was routinely fed formaldehyde-laced meat
A Zoo spokesman defended the attraction, branded the worst in the world, but admitted: ‘We also have issues’

The young elephant has tugged at his shackled hind leg so often that the manacles have cut through the flesh, leaving it raw.

Not that freeing himself would help. A chain on his left front leg means he can move neither forwards, backwards nor sideways.

The elephant’s owner has tethered the youngster because he prefers to tend to his small shop in the grounds of the Surabaya Zoo in Indonesia.

Money comes first. And so, day after day, week after week, the elephant stands there, being released from his chains only at the end of each day.

Anyone finding the scene depressing, and who turns away to look for more happy animals in the zoo would eventually leave, as I did, utterly depressed.

Surabaya Zoo has been branded the worst in the world and when I walked through this animal torture ground I was left in no doubt its reputation was well-earned.

I live near Sydney harbour where it is a joy to watch pelicans gliding low across the waters of Blackwattle Bay. But at the Surabaya Zoo I could only shake my head in despair at the sight of more than 150 pelicans jammed into a cage, trying to share a small pool of water, so tightly packed that they could not even spread their wings, let alone fly.

‘How many pelicans does this zoo need?’ I asked a keeper. ‘They’re not endangered. There’s no need to keep this many penned in.’ He knew what I said, but I received only shrugs.

Each step took me through a macabre animal dungeon. While I saw dishes of chopped vegetables for the primates, the ribs of several large animals could be seen. One camel in particular appeared appallingly thin. A Capuchin monkey I came across appeared to almost plead to be released.

In another cage, a sad rhinoceros horn bill looks up at the blue sky, trying to take off from its perch, but there is no room to flap its wings.

Well over 50 animals have died here in the past three months, says Tony Sumampau, a former member of the zoo’s temporary management team, who had finally left in despair. ‘The keepers have stalls that they run selling food and drinks and it’s more important for them to make money than it is to be taking care of their animals.’

The zoo, was opened in 1916 during Dutch colonial rule, and next to nothing has been done to improve it. Instead, more and more animals have been packed in.
A report by an independent team set up by Indonesia’s forestry ministry called for the animals be moved to other zoos but nothing has been done. Other zoos refuse to take the animals because of their condition and the fear that many of them carrying diseases.

The state of the zoo’s animals came to world-wide attention following the death of a giraffe in 2012 that was found with no less than 20 kilograms of plastic bags in its stomach. They had blown into its enclosure and the keepers had not bothered to pick them up.

The giraffe’s death would possibly have faded from the world’s conscience had it not been for the discovery of a dead female orang-utan, Nanik, in its enclosure a few weeks ago. Orang-utans, an endangered species, live up to the age of 60 in captivity, but Nanik was just 12 years old when she died, a large tumour being found in her intestines.

Sitting alone is another orang-utan. I cannot believe what I see — she is chewing on the yellow top of a marker pen someone has thrown at her. She pushes it forward between her lips, then sucks it back into her mouth. I fear she will soon swallow it. Beside her, rats scurry in and out of holes around her!

I stare at a Sumatran tiger — or rather just its face — as it peers out from behind the bars of its stone living quarters. One of its brothers, I was told, had been seriously ill with its digestive tract rotted away due to the formaldehyde-laced meat it had been fed. An African lion is reported to have died in pain, adding to the zoo’s shameful catalogue of deaths from starvation, mistreatment and other unnatural causes.

Just A Few Petitions to stop this abuse:-

• http://www.change.org/petitions/dr-susilo-bambang-yudhoyono-close-surabaya-zoo
• http://www.change.org/petitions/kepada-ketua-www-dprd-surabaya-go-id-shut-down-surabaya-zoo-due-to-cruel-and-scandalous-conditions
• http://www.change.org/petitions/save-animals-in-surabaya-zoo
• http://www.change.org/petitions/food-for-surabaya-zoo-animals-in-east-java-indonesia
• http://forcechange.com/16697/shut-down-the-surabaya-zoo-in-indonesia/

“These important signatures are to support shutting this zoo or getting some sort of management in that can raise the welfare of the animals: & getting rid of those that just don’t give a shit about the animals, just their pay packet!!”

Facebook:-ttps://www.facebook.com/shutdownsurabayazoo

Facebook:=https://www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Cruelty-Exposed/363725540304160

Another Related News Post By RICHARD SHEARS IN SURABAYA, INDONESIA PUBLISHED: 22:09, 26 December 2013

World’s cruellest zoo: Shackled elephants, starving camels, 150 pelicans crammed into one cage – and a death toll that rises daily

• More than 50 animals have died in the last three months at Indonesia’s Surayaba Zoo, a former keeper has claimed
  
• One giraffe died last year with 20kg of plastic bags in its stomach after they blew into its cage and weren’t cleared
  
• In another case, a Sumatran tiger’s digestive tract rotted away after it was routinely fed formaldehyde-laced meat

A Zoo spokesman defended the attraction, branded the worst in the world, but admitted: ‘We also have issues’

The young elephant has tugged at his shackled hind leg so often that the manacles have cut through the flesh, leaving it raw.

Conditions: A former keeper said more than 50 animals have died at the zoo in three months. This calf’s owner tethered it because he preferred to tend to his shop

Not that freeing himself would help. A chain on his left front leg means he can move neither forwards, backwards nor sideways.

The elephant’s owner has tethered the youngster because he prefers to tend to his small shop in the grounds of the Surabaya Zoo in Indonesia

Money comes first. And so, day after day, week after week, the elephant stands there, being released from his chains only at the end of each day.

Anyone finding the scene depressing, and who turns away to look for more happy animals in the zoo would eventually leave, as I did, utterly depressed.

Surabaya Zoo has been branded the worst in the world and when I walked through this animal torture ground I was left in no doubt its reputation was well-earned.

Cramped: This Sumatran tiger groaned as it sat in a brick hutch. One tiger last year died after its digestive tract was rotted by the formaldehyde-laced meat it ate

I live near Sydney harbour where it is a joy to watch pelicans gliding low across the waters of Blackwattle Bay. But at the Surabaya Zoo I could only shake my head in despair at the sight of more than 150 pelicans jammed into a cage, trying to share a small pool of water, so tightly packed that they could not even spread their wings, let alone fly.

Overcrowded: One aviary appeared packed to the brim with a mixture of herons and ibises, while another had 150 pelicans crammed into one cage together

‘How many pelicans does this zoo need?’ I asked a keeper. ‘They’re not endangered. There’s no need to keep this many penned in.’ He knew what I said, but I received only shrugs.

Each step took me through a macabre animal dungeon. While I saw dishes of chopped vegetables for the primates, the ribs of several large animals could be seen. One camel in particular appeared appallingly thin. A Capuchin monkey I came across appeared to almost plead to be released.

Marooned: A Moor macaque sat on its own on this island, surrounded by water with no trees to climb – only a chopped-down stump where a tree once grew

In another cage, a sad rhinoceros hornbill looks up at the blue sky, trying to take off from its perch, but there is no room to flap its wings.

Well over 50 animals have died here in the past three months, says Tony Sumampau, a former member of the zoo’s temporary management team, who had finally left in despair. ‘The keepers have stalls that they run selling food and drinks and it’s more important for them to make money than it is to be taking care of their animals.’

The zoo, was opened in 1916 during Dutch colonial rule, and next to nothing has been done to improve it. Instead, more and more animals have been packed in.

A report by an independent team set up by Indonesia’s forestry ministry called for the animals be moved to other zoos but nothing has been done. Other zoos refuse to take the animals because of their condition and the fear that many of them carrying diseases.

Bleak: This stark enclosure including a tank full of dirty water contained a solitary African pygmy hippo, pictured – which ironically enough was named Joy

The state of the zoo’s animals came to world-wide attention following the death of a giraffe in 2012 that was found with no less than 20 kilograms of plastic bags in its stomach. They had blown into its enclosure and the keepers had not bothered to pick them up.

The giraffe’s death would possibly have faded from the world’s conscience had it not been for the discovery of a dead female orangutan, Nanik, in its enclosure a few weeks ago. Orangutans, an endangered species, live up to the age of 60 in captivity, but Nanik was just 12 years old when she died, a large tumour being found in her intestines.

Sitting alone is another orangutan. I cannot believe what I see – she is chewing on the yellow top of a marker pen someone has thrown at her. She pushes it forward between her lips, then sucks it back into her mouth. I fear she will soon swallow it. Beside her, rats scurry in and out of holes in an embankment.

Rat-infested: A female orangutan played with a plastic marker pen in her mouth while a rat, bottom right, poked its head out of one of several holes on the bank

Another related news link:http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/12/26/article-2529589-18765D8500000578-109_964x639.jpg

UPDATE: Circus Malta: Petition Supporting Animal Circuses Gains 5,000 Signatures

Thursday 9 January 2014

Most animal charities & the public want to see a ban worldwide of wild animals being used in circuses. Now the owner of this circus is circulating his own petition to keep his Malta circus open. So please if you don’t agree with animals performing degrading tricks, kept behind bars & of course the cruelty that has been documented in circuses: PLEASE SIGN THE PETITIONS BELOW. We can’t let this circus continue, if it does through its petition, the flood gates for circuses using wild animals may open again; that would be tragic after all the hard work has been done to stop them!!

Circus promoter says 2013 could be last year for animal circuses in Malta due to the proposed ban.

But circus promoter Silvio Zammit has collected 5,000 signatures as part of a petition to overturn a proposal to ban animal circuses.

The circus has now moved to Ghajnsielem, Gozo, where Zammit hopes to continue collecting more signatures. The petition will then be passed on to the competent authorities.

Zammit, who has been bringing circuses to Malta for the past 16 years, said he could not allow the banning of animal circuses from Malta without taking any action.

“It was a personal initiative after finding out that the government had moved on to publish a White Paper proposing to ban animal circuses,” he said.

See all the animals, such as, Long horn cattle, Donkeys, Lama, Camels, Lions, Tigers, Zebra, Elephant, Giraffe, Baboon, Horses, Ponies, Donkeys performing pitiful & degrading acts; acts they would never do in the wild. The animal acts stop at 12 mins; then the human artists perform!I believe the only thing not seen is the Hippo; but is in a video below!!

Circo Orfei Floriana Malta 1st January 2012

Uploaded on 2 Jan 2012 – By levelone12

He argued that only 390 persons took part in the consultation process initiated by the government, of which 49% said they were against such a circus.

“We know that the majority of these were NGOs, and NGOs do not reflect popular opinion. I am doing this petition on my own. I know that there are many others who would like to sign it, but I have neither the time nor the manpower to go on a nation-wide petition,” Zammit said.

He said he was “very happy” with the number of signatures collected: “This shows that the Maltese do love the circus. They won’t flood the streets of Valletta with placards to support the circus.”

He also said that a number of MPs from both sides of the House visited Circo Orfei this winter. “Some came with their children while others accompanied their grandchildren. They thanked me for the level of the show and all said they had fun,” Zammit said.

He however refused to name them.

The debate as to whether Malta should ban animal circuses for good has been going on for a number of years, with animal rights NGOs insisting that circuses solely operate to maximise profits while completely disregarding the safety of the animals and the adverse effects they may impose.

Animal Rights Coalition said veterinarians only attend to the animal’s physical needs and as a result, the psychological issues brought about by the circuses are not being addressed.

With a number of countries moving to ban animal circuses for good, Zammit said in Italy alone there were 800 circuses. He said the UK was one of the countries which will stop animal circuses as from next year. “But this was the result of many circuses caught mistreating their animals,” he said, adding that the circus he brought to Malta did not see animals performing any tricks and only a minimal part of the show was dedicated to animals.

Zammit argued that the circus animals were born in captivity “and therefore they do not know otherwise. Their trainers threat them like their pets”.

He said Animal Welfare Department officials and veterinarians made regular checks to verify that the animals were well-kept.

Circo Orfei’s travelling team is made up of 60 people, whose living depends on the shows, Zammit said.

“This is their life. They are a community who live on the road and have been doing so for years on end. This is how they earn a living… their bread and butter,” he said.

The Animal Rights Coalition has also called for a full ban on dolphinaria and aquaria. The coalition has said it was unjust to deny dolphins the right to roam free in their natural habitat and called for the ban on dolphinariums as these restrict the creatures to a mere pool.

The Coalition also said that this should extend to aquaria as in this case, animals are likewise being “confined to cages and restricted from roaming in their natural habitat”.

Protesters outside circus. Image from http://www.timesofmalta.com –

But Zammit feels that two weights and two measures were being applied when talking about animal circuses and aquaria.

He also said that circuses gave people the opportunity to see animals which would otherwise require them to travel abroad to zoos or safaris.

He insisted that a proper discussion was required and said he agreed that animals like elephants, pandas and monkeys should be banned. “What we have in our circus are horses, ponies, donkeys and tigers,” he said, adding that tigers in captivity lived for an average of 25 years while those in the wild lived for 12 years.

Circo Orfei also has a hippo and an emu as part of their travelling repertoire. 

News Link:–http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Petition-supporting-animal-circuses-gains-5-000-signatures-20140108

Petitions to ban wild animals in circuses:-We must get the ban in place before this circus succeeds with their petition to continue

• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/114/712/149/ban-animal-circuss-in-malta/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/971/361/878/ban-the-use-of-wild-animals-in-us-circuses/
• http://www.change.org/petitions/dolphins-don-t-belong-in-traveling-circus
• http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/animalslavery/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/112/127/279/stop-brian-boswells-circus/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/903/573/553/no-bears-at-the-bolshoi-circus/
• http://forcechange.com/91545/commend-ban-on-wild-animals-in-circuses/
• http://www.stopcircussuffering.com/ – Petition is within the link

Published on 7 Jan 2013 – This video shows the hippo in the ring, but its towards the end of the video, after the trapeze act! What the hell is a hippo doing in a circus? Bloody outrageous!! Search Circo Orfei on You Tube to see all the animals when not entertaining  :-http://youtu.be/GEMx3YVIRmg 

Published on 10 Jan 2013 – Tiger & Lion Act:-http://youtu.be/aHeMPaW_d20

Published on 6 Sep 2013 – This is about the lions & tigers in the outside enclosure plus RARE WHITE LIONS & TIGERS?? Are they interbreeding??:-http://youtu.be/K40RjOFsX4c

My previous posts on circus in Malta etc.:–

• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/last-two-animal-circuses-in-malta-before-ban-imposed-petitions-to-sign/
• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/animal-circuses-may-be-banned-in-malta-by-end-of-the-year-petitions-to-sign/

Graphic Image: This is beyond tragic! Please Sign Petiton

“Sickening; how can anyone get pleasure from killing an innocent sentient creature? What horrific morals to be setting as parents!!”

African elephants are one of only two naturally surviving elephant species left in the world, and they are in danger of being poached to drastic levels to feed the ivory demand. While it is difficult for any one group to control the actions of poachers and government militias, it is likely that added security measures surrounding national parks could help to save these elephants. Urge the Garamba National Park Service and others in the region to tighten their security and stop poachers from killing elephants for their tusks.

EXPOSING THE ELEPHANT KILLERS. Please SHARE!

This family shot and killed this elephant as he was eating (you can still see the food in his mouth). Here is the link to the company that promotes this cruelty: http://www.africabig5.co.za/gallery/hunting-photo-gallery/ HERE >> is the contacts to the company that promotes this senseless killings… please contact them: 011-27-82-339-9235 Email: frikkiedt@wam.co.za How is it fun to shoot a rare species like elephants just because you can afford to? SHARE this and make them infamous!

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION & PASS IT ON TO EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK…THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED!!

http://www.change.org/petitions/everyone-sign-this-petition-and-get-involved-this-is-beyond-tragic

Above Petition by GWEN

 

Nevada County Fair Board Votes To Retain Contract For Elephant Rides

“Another email that warrants being shared, so please send to friends etc.”

The Nevada County Fair board of directors failed to do the right thing a second time, by voting, 8-1, at its meeting on July 16, 2013, to retain its contract for elephant rides. More than 70 people testified for more than three hours, with about 75% of the speakers opposing the rides. Only five of those who spoke out against the rides were not Nevada County residents.

PAWS‘ director of science, research and advocacy, Catherine Doyle, presented testimony at the meeting, including a letter signed by elephant experts and conservationists from around the world who oppose using elephants for rides. 

The Fair board set the tone of the meeting, when it stated that it would only consider new evidence on the topics of safety, the use of animals in entertainment, and the reputation of the company providing the rides, Have Trunk Will Travel.

It was obvious that the board had little intention of changing its position, and it was made clear that the number of people opposing the rides would not be a factor in their decision.

Sign Petitions Here Please:-

• http://www.change.org/petitions/nevada-county-fairgrounds-please-choose-to-not-have-elephant-rides-at-the-2013-fair
• https://secure3.convio.net/bfusa/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=809&JServSessionIdr004=ts7aw6twg3.app332a
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/707/325/892/keep-elephants-out-of-the-nevada-county-fair/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/820/465/716/

 In the end, the Fair board chose to dismiss undercover video of Have Trunk Will Travel caught by Animal Defenders International that shows the company’s owner and employees viciously striking elephants with bullhooks and using an illegal electric shock device during training.

To us at PAWS, it is unfathomable that anyone could watch the video and not find the treatment of the elephants reprehensible. 

“The board looked long and hard at the video and the testimony,” said Fair board president Tom Browning. “We feel they (Have Trunk Will Travel) have a very good operation…this is the mindset of the board.”  “Bull shit…they obviously didn’t see the video I did, of baby elephants trunk being held & pulled to make him conform to commands. They didn’t see an electric pod being used on an elephant who screamed out in pain, as she was forced to stand on her head! This is appalling, this board is anything but fair!”

Training for rides involves violently breaking and training elephants, and controlling them

Trained by force, fear & abuse

through dominance and fear of pain for the rest of their lives. Handlers use the bullhook – a steel rod resembling a fireplace poker – to routinely prod, hook and strike elephants so they comply with every command.

Not only did the board reject clear-cut evidence of abusive treatment, it failed to address the fact that the Fair lacks an emergency preparedness plan specific to an elephant escape. PAWS had requested various safety documents pertaining to emergency procedures, which the Fair was unable to produce.

Though many members of the Fair board claimed to have researched elephant rides, they opted to accept only information that supported their already established position, and the information that members presented was often inaccurate.

PAWS is working together with local organizations to plan an educational public demonstration when the Fair takes place in Grass Valley, California, on August 7-11.This will be a peaceful protest that is suitable for all ages. We urge you to attend (invite family and friends!) and show your support and compassion for the elephants. 

In the coming weeks, we’ll be providing more details on our efforts, so stay tuned. Mark those dates on your calendar now. The fairgrounds are located approximately 70 miles north of Sacramento.

Website link:–http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=68strdcab&v=001TTzY1hjm9FiiViisKsGk63YMz9RaRLjYqZrbNYAmP8BG_Q6R4ioqMgHLE6AaNiugYVN4nNi3vXuZJ-v46hq6JnIkVaXtq_2lnf87vEmeR33TN3M7FTbaY5LVmdF1ZKUvGSLoTJLSKHEU3QrnjTJlKbV2NzAVluKIP9MPXxZCvkiG4tsSdm4OuU_M8rTJH1bHpCwLB5HzEJ80lhzZtfhv1g1PIoxgeQKnIfUQF2cxwIQ0miE9qzc5Iw%3D%3D

Letter signed by elephant experts and conservationist:-

July 12, 2013
Statement by elephant professionals in opposition to elephant rides PAWS has invited professionals in science, conservation and elephant care to join us in endorsing the following statement that addresses the use of
elephants for rides.

We, the undersigned, are opposed to the use of elephants for rides at county fairs, carnivals, circuses, zoos and other recreational activities, for the following reasons:

• It is wrong to allow our children to think that elephants used for rides are living an acceptable life, when evidence for the opposite is overwhelming.
• Reducing elephants to the equivalent of a carnival ride distorts the public’s understanding of elephants and of their endangered status in the wild.
•  Elephants are highly intelligent, curious and socially complex animals who possess a range of emotions, and are empathetic and self-aware. It is appalling to see these astonishing animals reduced to walking in small circles for hours as they give rides.
• Elephants used for rides were traumatically taken from their mothers as calves. Female elephants, those typically used for rides, would naturally remain with their families for life.
• Elephants used for rides are deprived of what is natural to them, including the ability to move freely in a vast natural environment, to be part of a family and extended social network, and to have choice and control over their lives.
• Elephants are wild animals. They are not domesticated, so they retain their innate wild natures, which are often brutally suppressed.
• The extreme training that is necessary to dominate and control elephants for providing customers with “safe” rides is abusive. It is well documented that elephants are trained to comply with commands through use of the menacing weapon called the bullhook and fear of painful punishment.
• Elephants used for rides are under a great deal of stress from being held in conditions to which they are unsuited, including prolonged chaining, confinement in cramped trucks and pens, extensive travel, and ongoing threat of punishment.
• There are many documented incidents in which elephants have “snapped,” and have injured or killed people.
• The interests and well-being of elephants used for rides will always be secondary to the profits the company needs to maintain itself.
• Elephant rides do not contribute to the conservation of elephants, or to an awareness of the plight of wild elephants.
• On the contrary, elephant rides may divert funds from genuine, and deeply important, conservation work.
•  Conservation is a noble cause and it is demeaned by unethical companies that use it as a public relations ploy to distract the public from this inhumane, unsafe and outdated use of elephants.
•  It is wrong to keep alive an outdated practice that we know is brutal for elephants.

Given current knowledge, it is unjustifiable to use elephants for recreational rides, and it is wrong to allow elephants to suffer just so they can entertain us.

The times are changing. More and more county fairs and other community events are eschewing elephant
rides due to public safety and humane concerns.

We advise event organizers to reject elephant rides, and we strongly urge the public to refrain from riding elephants, to oppose elephant rides if they are proposed for a community event, and to support legitimate conservation organizations that are making a real difference for elephants.

Sincerely,

Ed Stewart President and Co-founder, PAWS

Cynthia Moss, Director, Amboseli Trust for Elephants (Kenya)

Joyce H. Poole, Ph.D., Co-Founder, Co-Director, ElephantVoices

Petter Granli, Co-Founder, Co-Director, ElephantVoices

Peter Stroud, Independent Zoological Consultant, Member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature/Species Survival Commission Asian Elephant Specialist Group

Phil Ensley, DVM, DACZM, Former associate veterinarian with the San Diego Zoo

W. Keith Lindsay, Ph.D., Conservation Biologist & Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Amboseli
Elephant Research Project (Kenya)

David Hancocks, Former Director at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona, Seattle’s
Woodland Park Zoo, Australia’s Werribee Open Range Zoo and Melbourne Zoo

Scott Blais, International Elephant Consultant

Carol Buckley, founder and CEO of Elephant Aid International and founding director of The lephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

John W. Freeze, Retired Animal Husbandry Supervisor (Elephants), North Carolina Zoological Park

Gary Kuehn, DVM, Former veterinarian with the Los Angeles Zoo Henry Melvyn Richardson, DVM

Will Travers OBE, CEO The Born Free Foundation, UK and Born Free USA

Margaret Whittaker, Animal Behavior Consultant, Active Environments, Inc.

Letter Link:-http://www.pawsweb.org/documents/PROFESSIONALS_LETTER_RIDES.pdf?utm_source=Fair+board+votes+to+keep+contract&utm_campaign=UA-16696807-1&utm_medium=email

PDF Document:–

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2013
CONTACT: Catherine Doyle, PAWS Director of Science, Research & Advocacy,
cdoyle@pawsweb.org
Nevada County Fair Lacks Sufficient Safety Precautions for Elephant Rides San Andreas, Calif. –

The Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) contends that the Nevada County Fair does not have adequate information or an action plan to protect the public from the serious risks associated with elephant rides.
The controversial rides will be offered for the first time at this year’s Fair, August 7-11, in Grass Valley, California.

“The Fair has been lulled into complacency by false assurances that elephant rides are safe, when that is the farthest thing from the truth,” said PAWS president, Ed Stewart, who has more than 32 years of experience caring for elephants. “Our intention is not to discomfit the Fair board, but to inform the public that elephant rides pose a serious risk, and that there is insufficient preparation on the part of the Fair should an incident occur.”

PAWS recently filed a California Public Records Act request, and learned that the Fair lacks key information necessary to protect public safety.

For example, there is no emergency plan that is specific to an elephant escape, a situation for which most law enforcement agencies are unprepared and unequipped. In fact, the Fair’s evacuation plan calls for preventing people from entering buildings, the very places that might provide safe haven during an escape.

Other safety and security documents the Fair was unable to produce were:

• An elephant escape and recapture plan provided by Have Trunk Will Travel, the Southern California company providing the rides – Without a plan, there would be no communication and coordination between the elephant ride provider and the local first responders in the event of an escape.
•  Have Trunk Will Travel’s protocol for securing elephants when they are not giving rides, during the daytime and overnight – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cited the company last year for failure to safely handle an elephant at a county fair in South Dakota. The elephant was left unmonitored while she was rested from giving rides, creating a risk to the public.
• A history of Tuberculosis test results for all elephants owned by Have Trunk Will Travel, including those to be used for rides –Elephants can carry tuberculosis, which is transmissible to humans. Due to the prevalence of the disease in elephants and risks to public health, the USDA requires that all exhibitors test their elephants annually for tuberculosis.

In addition, the Fair did not produce veterinary records for the elephants to be used for rides, which would show whether they are suffering from diseases, such as arthritis and foot infections, commonly caused by inadequate captive conditions. Chaining and cramped confinement – during travel to the Fair and at the Fair – would exacerbate these conditions and negatively impact the elephants’ welfare.

PAWS has long monitored and documented the numerous incidents involving elephants used for rides that have resulted in human injuries and deaths. In 2000, PAWS co-founder, the late Pat Derby, testified before a Congressional committee on this serious safety issue.

“We are urging the Nevada County Fair to cancel the elephant rides because they are unsafe, outdated and inhumane,” said Stewart. “For over a century the Fair has been successful without elephant rides – and the serious risk and controversy that come along with them.”

Above PDF Document:-http://www.pawsweb.org/documents/PR_NCF_SAFETY_ISSUESx.pdf?utm_source=Fair+board+votes+to+keep+contract&utm_campaign=UA-16696807-1&utm_medium=email

Graphic Video Inc. Circus Was About Exploitation and Cruelty

“Please note I added the videos as extras, which I have used before; but they are not connected or related to the news link. Please sign petitions regarding circuses (which are included on the homepage) New Petitions Constantly Being Added etc. You will find petitions of all kinds regarding animal abuse. So please consider signing a few others whilst you’re there; every signature helps fight against animal abuse! Thanks”

The Carson & Barnes Circus has come and gone, and if caring area residents knew more about the cruel treatment of animals used by the circus, they’ll think twice before welcoming it back.

A Video I Found Of the Elephants Uploaded April 2013

These elephants are forced to perform, beaten into submission, their bodies posed in unnatural positions; that puts great strain & pain on their joints. See the man walking round with the bullhook in his hands; a tool greatly feared by the elephants & for good reason!! This is not entertainment, this is elephants being abused, degraded & forced to perform through fear & violence…just for your entertainment. Please look past the glamour & sparkle; have you ever seen an elephant perform like this in the wild?? NO never…I rest my case!!! 

Carson & Barnes recently paid to settle 10 alleged violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, including failure to maintain control of an elephant who sustained injuries after running down a steep slope and falling, inadequate shelter and fencing for elephants, transporting elephants in an unsafe manner, and for leaving elephants unattended during rides.

Watch How Elephants Are Trained…Hear Them Scream In Pain…Still Think It’s Ok To Go To The Circus???? Well It’s Hell On Earth For Animals

” Disgusting Animal Abuse & disgusting language from a disgusting piece of Sxxt in the guise of an elephant trainer. He is not an animal trainer, he is a bully, a thug, who enjoys inflicting pain on anything he considers beneath him…would you let him train your dog?? No, then please think on, whenever you see an animal performing stupid tricks for human entertainment….it’s not because it enjoys doing it; it’s through sheer fear, beatings, pain, denial of food & water etc. & that animals knows what will happen… if it doesn’t perform for his master!!”

Viewer Discretion Advised – Undercover footage from Carson & Barnes Circus

Uploaded on 18 Jan 2012

Undercover footage from Carson & Barnes Circus – elephant training Support 

A U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector saw a handler with no elephant experience repeatedly use “excessive force while tugging at” the elephant with a bullhook—a rod with a sharp steel hook on one end. Another trainer was caught on video viciously attacking terrified elephants with bullhooks and electric prods and instructing other trainers to hurt the elephants until they scream, to sink a bullhook into their flesh and twist it, and to conceal the beatings from the public.

The circus has repeatedly been cited for failure to provide animals with veterinary care, minimum space, shelter from the elements, adequate ventilation, and clean water.

The time is long overdue to stop pretending that animal acts are anything other than cruel exploitation.

News Link:-http://trib.com/opinion/letters/circus-was-about-exploitation-and-cruelty/article_0e0471b8-fe29-5599-a042-888f85fde804.html