In the News: Ban Elephants from Traveling Circuses

PAWS working hard to better the life of captive elephants!

Los Angeles City Council Poised To Vote On Ending 

Use Of Elephants In Traveling Circuses

PAWS is pleased to report that on Tuesday, November 20, the Los Angeles Personnel & Animal Welfare Committee (PAW) voted to send its recommendation for an ordinance that would end the use of elephants in traveling circuses and prohibit the use of bull hooks in public displays to the full council for vote. Animal supporters showed up in force for this critical meeting -- so many in fact, that an overflow room was needed to seat everyone!

If the ordinance passes the full council vote, Los Angeles will become the largest U.S. city to restrict the use of elephants in circuses and also to ban the bull hook. The ordinance could go before the City Council in December. Securing this ban in Los Angeles will send a powerful message to other cities and counties that cruelty in the guise of entertainment will not be tolerated.

The Los Angeles Times editorial board has published an important editorial in support of the ordinance. Please read their full editorial here:[ http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-1126-elephants-20121126,0,1479715.story ][ http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-circus-leave-the-bullhooks-behind-20121025,0,7240822.story ]. You can send a letter to the editor at letters@latimes.com. If you do, please keep the letter to 150 words or less, and be sure to include your full name, mailing address, phone number and email address. (Personal information is only seen by the letters editors and used for verification purposes.)

Baby elephant Nicholas performing in the circus. Note trainer on the left with bullhook in hand. Nicholas now lives at PAWS' ARK 2000.

Since our founding in 1984, PAWS has contended that elephants cannot live a healthy, normal life while traveling and performing. In circuses they are immobilized by chains for most of their lives, spend long periods in cramped transport vehicles, and are subjected to cruel training. Handlers use the bull hook -- a steel rod resembling a fireplace poker -- to dominate elephants through fear and violence. In addition, traveling shows often display animals in substandard housing and unsafe conditions that compromise animal welfare as well as public safety.

Help PAWS ensure that Los Angeles is added to the growing list of cities and countries worldwide that have made important policy changes and enacted restrictions on circus practices involving wild animals (view current list: http://www.pawsweb.org/documents/exotic-animal-bans.pdf)  . If you live or work in Los Angeles and would like to help with this campaign, please contact Catherine Doyle, PAWS' Director of Science, Research & Advocacy, atcdoyle@pawsweb.org. If you reside or work outside of Los Angeles, there are still important things you can do to help. Contact Catherine for more information.

THE SHOW MUST NOT GO ON!

DONATE $1, $5, $10 [http://www.pawsweb.org/donate_online.html ]

 Thank you, PAWS, for your voice for the elephants!

Til Next time,
Meggi

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