Posted on 09/13/2007 6:22:25 AM PDT by MplsSteve
The animal rights advocates came with a video of a stampeding circus elephant shot dead in the street. The circus animal supporters, many wearing Shriners' fezzes, argued that nobody wants to see a circus without lions, tigers and elephants.
On Wednesday, City Hall became the Big Top for a divisive, standing-room-only hearing on whether Minneapolis will ban circus shows featuring wild animals.
After two hours of tense debate that featured nationally recognized animal experts, the council's public safety and regulatory services committee moved the issue forward without a recommendation. The full council will vote on the matter next Friday.
If it adopts the ordinance, Minneapolis would join more than two dozen American cities including Stamford, Conn.; Boulder, Colo., and Albuquerque, N.M., that have banished circus animals.
"It is cruel and inhumane to cage them up and force them to do unnatural tricks under the threat of pain and punishment," said Council Member Ralph Remington, who thinks there are seven votes needed to pass the measure. "Wild animals in circuses have become as antiquated as circus sideshows.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
OTOH, I love animals and have read of stories where animal abuse happens at some of these circuses.
I'd like to gauge Freeper sentiment on this issue. Comments or opinions - anyone?
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Apparently the clowns on the city counsel don’t want competition.
SPCA can handle oversight of animal treatment which while maybe not exactly “natural setting” that a free animal would prefer is not all that bad as long as the circus is making money and can afford upkeep.
What good is my Bread without the Circus?
I think circuses (the animal part) and zoos should go away. There’s something so sad and unnatural about them.
In the end I think circuses do more good than harm. People see the tigers jumping trough fire, the seals playing with a ball, all those Mexicans piling out of the VW and they fall in love with them.
My stepson is a zookeeper and I could not disagree more with you. Modern zoos take care of these animals extremely well. And the part that the public sees is only a small part—not the major part—of what they do.
In memory of this sweet animal ... .
CITY LORE; They Didn’t Forget
July 13, 2003, Sunday
By TOM VANDERBILT (NYT); The City Weekly Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section 14, Page 3, Column 1, 1275 words
DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Article on 100th anniversary of execution of Topsy the elephant, witnessed by some 1,500 people at Luna Park in Coney Island; episode will be commemorated next week when monument honoring Topsy, whose electrocution by Thomas Edison’s electric company was filmed, is unveiled at Coney Island Museum; Lee Deigaard, who created monument, and Coney Island Museum proprietor Dick Zugun comment
The poor thing was abused.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topsy_the_Elephant
I was watching a documentary of sorts and saw the video ... it was soo sad. I would doubt anyone could get away with this today.
It was part of Edison's war against George Westinghouse and alternating current. He tried to stigmatize AC as much more dangerous than DC, and zapping an elephant on film was just another business move to him. The first electric chair was another part of this same campaign.
I didn’t know that.
I only know the poor animal was repeatedly abused and finally turned on people. It’s normal for people to turn on others after being abused. It was so sad and shocking to see that video on the documentary and people CHEERING. Just awful.
I didn’t know that.
I only know the poor animal was repeatedly abused and finally turned on people. It’s normal for people to turn on others after being abused. It was so sad and shocking to see that video on the documentary and people CHEERING. Just awful.
Right. They should be sent back to Africa so they can be killed and have their ivory, teeth, or skins harvested.
Remarkable! The city is being destroyed from within by Somali Muslims and they worry about circus animals.
“It is cruel and inhumane to cage them up and force them to do unnatural tricks under the threat of pain and punishment,” said Council Member Ralph Remington”
Has this pol ever worked in a circus with animals?
No circus is willing to risk harm/injury to its animals who are the money making assets of the circus. As a rule they are very well taken care of by their handlers.
Is it dissimilar to having a pet? A dog who fetches for it’s owner for example?
May I also suggest contacting a circus or zoo animal keeper. I fully expect they would be happy to talk to you and others about their animal welfare practices.
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