I was elated to read on CNN this morning that the Ringling Brother's Circus is retiring their herd of performing elephants. When one of their family members passes away, it is well-known that elephants will hover over the lifeless body of their beloved deceased for days or even weeks, grieving, pining, rocking their bodies to self-soothe in their mourning process. They don't just hold a funeral with lots of cheese trays and egg salad sandwiches and move on. Elephants don't forget. They never get over it. Nor do monkeys, big cats or other animals who should be protected and viewed with respect in their natural habitat from a safe, non-threatening distance. Their docile nature makes elephants easy targets for being used to entertain. This is just my opinion but it's my blog and I'm in the mood to spurt off in defense of all caged animals. It's just WRONG for animals to be forced into a life of confinement and unnatural dwellings, combined with the stress of frequent erratic travel, continually changing environments and an artificial lifestyle with a contrived stage schedule.
I flatly refuse to attend any circus that cages animals and makes them execute unnatural acts for the purpose of public entertainment. How much FUN do these confined creatures experience when the lights go down and they are left alone in cages with no companions?
IT IS JUST WRONG. I have a few personal rules: I don't discuss religion, politics or caged animals with others. I cannot stand to see a bird in a cage. I'm a fairly docile person but ooh, don't go there about the caged animals topic. I can be uber-opinionated and I'm not budging. SPEAK UP, PEOPLE. PLEASE. And don't take your kids to the circus and continue to support the inhumane treatment of animals. Okay. I'll clam up now. For a minute. Okay, that was a few seconds. Beware of getting me wound up about this topic. People should not be making money from animals who are stolen from their home environment and usually beaten into submissiveness so they can be "managed". Check it out on Google. It is appalling what animals are inhumanely put through in the name of "entertainment". If elephants really liked their work, why would their legs be shackled ankle to ankle? No-Brainer. When challenged or feeling threatened, elephants, like all animals in such a forced lifestyle are capable of extremely dangerous behavior. Take a minute and think about the Orcas, lions, tigers and bears who are kept in captivity and someday just mentally snap and drag/drown/munch/shake/stomp their caregivers to death. I have empathy for all wild animals who are captured and confined.
I am doing The Happy Dance today thinking how the Ringling elephants will now have a happier life (I hope). At least they won't be on "The Tour Bus" in restrictive cages, arriving in another small area with lights glaring and music blaring for the purpose of public "fun".
Speaking of Hope, where we live in Hope, Maine, a local retired veterinarian took on an elephant named Rosie and built her a huge indoor facility complete with a heated floor (to help her arthritis-riddled joints), caused by restricted exercise and years of performing in a circus. Dr. Laurita had worked with Rosie in his youth and they bonded. The elephant had been treated badly, shackled and forced to be a "trick pony". Her aging limbs were arthritic and she needed a place to retire. Dr. Laurita had worked with her many years prior and they never forgot each other. Still, when the veterinarian announced he was going to retire Rosie to Hope, there was a public outcry; she was going to be a solitary elephant and lonely. A petition was started. So Dr. Laurita managed to bring another companion elephant to retire with Rosie in Hope. Her name was Opal and she was also in need of physical and emotional rehabilitation.
Dr. Laurita formed a non-profit organization, Hope Elephants; groups of local school children and the public supported his efforts by paying an entrance fee and learning about elephants, as well as admiring Rosie and her friend Opal as the two elderly ladies recuperated. With his medical background he was able to use chiropractic practices and other rehabilitative therapy to get the big girls back into good health in their declining years. Many local animal lovers volunteered their time and energy to help clean, feed and care for the animals. Jim Laurita spent his days educating people, especially children, about the care and safety of these very special animals. Then one day it all went horribly wrong. According to the local newspaper, Dr. Laurita was routinely caring for the enormous creatures when he accidentally slipped and fell, hitting his head on the cement floor of the "barn". The article said that he was found unresponsive with multiple fractures. He passed away and it is unknown if the elephants tried to revive him with their huge feet or ... ? So Rosie and Opal were returned to Tennessee to another animal refuge for elephants. Ironically, the day before, National Geographic visited the facility and took photos and wrote an article. Thank you, Ringling Brothers, for listening to THE PUBLIC. I really believe that the circus days are over. All we can do is HOPE.
No comments:
Post a Comment