Testimony by Representative Lori A. Ehrlich

In favor of S.1706, An Act Relative to the Treatment of Elephants

February 12, 2012

Thank you Chairwoman Donaghue, Chairwoman Peake and good members of the committee for hearing my testimony this morning. This is the 2nd session that I have been the House lead sponsor of this humane bipartisan bill, filed originally by Senator Robert Hedlund, and frankly it surprises me that we had to return.  This bill just seems so easy -- so humane.

Today you will hear compelling testimony from kind-hearted people who can’t bear to hear of these social, docile, and highly intelligent creatures being treated this way.

You will also hear from one of my young constituents, Sophie Smith, who took it upon herself to raise money for a day’s worth of food for each of the elephants in the elephant sanctuary in Tennessee, where abused and retired circus elephants go to spend the rest of their days.

My daughter Casey, a marine biology major now (with an unfortunately timed exam today) joined me in testimony last session. Or perhaps I joined her, I don’t know. But without her persistence, I can honestly say that I don’t know if I would have had the strength to open myself up to the pain of seeing elephant abuse shown in undercover video and extensive investigation. The most recent documentation was only revealed due to the threat of jail time for excecutives of Feld Entertainment (Owner of Ringling Bros.) as a result of the recent federal case.  

Channeling Casey, I hope to do that for you now. Once you allow yourself to see it, and you read the Mother Jones year-long investigation (which I will email you after the hearing), once you see the documents from the case that Feld just lost with the largest settlement of its kind in US history, I hope that you too, my fellow legislators, will be empowered to do something. My live-in lobbyist for wildlife, is asking for a full report on the hearing tonight.

And you’ve already heard quite a bit from Feld Entertainment, a company with approx $1billion in annual sales/year. Committee members are usually invited to tour the circus and perhaps that happened again. I hope they let you hold a bullhook while you were there. If not, you should.

I would like to discuss four (of many) myths promoted by circus owners in regard to elephants.

1. Circus owners will tell you: Having elephants is educational.

Elephants in circuses have no educational value. Watching elephants perform unnatural tricks does not teach our children respect or appreciation for animals, nor does it teach children how elephants behave naturally in the wild. Instead it teaches our children that it is acceptable to exploit and mistreat animals for amusement and profit.

2. Circus owners will tell you: Elephants behave this way in the wild.

They don’t. In the wild they are in large matriarchal herds, walking long distances, playing in watering holes, taking afternoon naps, bonding with their mothers, and socializing with one another. Cornell University has some cutting edge research about the way elephants communicate in the wild, bond with family, and even mourn as recently covered on 60 Minutes.  

Even more unnatural than having elephants standing on pedestals or twirling is the way they spend their non-performing time standing on concrete in chains.

3. Circus owners will tell you performing elephants are helping to conserve the species in the wild.

Not true. Our dollars spent on Ringling Bros. circus performances support Feld Entertainment of Florida, their lawyers and lobbyists. They make generous contributions to our campaign accounts and give out lots of freebies at legislative conventions. This “generosity” however does nothing to address the real threats endangered elephants face in the wild, such as poaching, trophy hunting, loss of habitat, and drought.  If circuses truly cared about conservation they would spend the money it takes to care for an elephant to support enforcement agencies, educational programs, and habitat preservation efforts in elephants’ native countries.

4. And most offensive of all, Circus owners will tell you that they need to use such devices of torture to control this rare and gentle species for our entertainment.

There are other more positive methods of discipline and many better alternatives for family entertainment -- The Big Apple Circus, Cirque du Soliel, the Museum of Science, The Aquarium, The Freedom Trail, a walk in the park, or a movie -- just to name a few. I'd like to suggest that people spend their dollars there. Let’s leave the poor elephants alone. They’ve got enough problems already.

I hope this bill being scheduled for hearing so late doesn’t mean that you won’t have time to consider this important bill. Please do. And remember: An elephant never forgets!

Thank you.

PRESS LAST SESSION:

PETA, Ringling Bros. at odds over the treatment of baby circus elephants WASHINGTON POST

Rep Ehrlich other lawmakers decry treatment of elephants Marblehead Reporter

Mass lawmakers to review treatment of Elephants NECN

SB1870 An Act relating to the Treatment of Elephants text of the bill

Marblehead's Ehrlich in anti-elephant abuse push Lynn Item

Republican all ears to 'abusive' plight of GOP symbolBoston Herald  

Elephant abuse by Ringling Brothers

CBS Report on Elephant abuse and lawsuit against Ringling Brothers

Tarra and Bella, by CBS News

Reasons to seek an alternative to the circus

Weymouth senator still pushing for passage of elephant bill The Patriot Ledger

Why we oppose cruelty to elephants Blue Mass Group