ELEPHANTS IN CIRCUSES

This is a summary and excerpts from an article in the Spring/Summer 2012 issue of HUMANE REVIEW, the newsletter of the NYS Humane Association.

To see the entire article, go to nyshumane.org

While acknowledging that all wild animals suffer from the unnatural  life of a circus performer, this article focuses on elephants.  What’s behind the “fun” antics the elephants are forced to perform?  Brutal training so that the animal’s spirit is broken.

Baby elephants are separated from their mothers very early (In the wild, they would be with their mothers for years.) and are trained to fear and obey humans.  “They are shackled and shocked and stabbed with 

the ankus’ (bull-hook) sharp tip, spread-eagled on the ground to learn how helpless they are, forced to sit on tubs and do headstands – essentially to perform the unnatural and uncomfortable tricks they will be forced to display as adult performers, or suffer excruciating pain.” 

You can view this atrocity on the  website of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The adult elephants are chained about 23 hours out of 24.  The chains are so short the elephants can barely move.  In the wild, they would travel miles each day.  Veterinary care is inadequate, and many 

elephants contract tuberculosis.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Please boycott circuses which use animals.  Patronize those which rely solely on human skill and talent.  A list of these can be found at nyshumane.org

Linda A. DeStefano, who did the above summary, is President of People for Animal Rights, P.O. Box 15358, Syracuse 13215-0358, 488-PURR(7877), LDESTEFANO3@twcny.rr.com, peopleforanimalrightsofcny.org

Translated by Rob English