Friday, March 17, 2006

Ringling-Barnum Circus 1949/ Doc Henderson #3

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's a small world ? I've often wondered how and where a man like Doc Henderson became involved with the variety of animals he attended to at Circus World. Todays posts clairifys that a little more for me. Mike Aria conveied to me Doc was Paramount at the time in the understanding of exodic animals health, well being and care not to exclude his expertise in the equestrains realm and if I recal him correctly; a real Country Gentleman.

Buckles said...

Off hand I think Doc came to the Ringling Show in the early 1940's from Texas along with the horses that John Ringling North bought from the famous King Ranch and stayed for the rest of his career.
I don't believe he had any prior experience with exotics.

Anonymous said...

Common sense has a lot to do with wild animal care. Prevention also works wonders. Expermenting like they are doing in Tenn is what kills and sickens animals. Treating healthy animals just to try to make yourself look good sickens me to the core. Remember "SUE"

Anonymous said...

Rebecca. I heard the "SUE" story second or third hand. What surprised the heck out of me is that it hasn't led to a huge outcry and investigation of TES management protocols. If half of what I heard is true I'd love to see witness depositions taken and sent TN legislators suggestion that TES needs greater regulation. If that's how they botched things in IL I'd hate to think what goes on in TN behind closed doors where they avoid real inspection and accountability. Rumour suggests that "at home" a couple time months went by before they bothered to report elephant deaths. If they were a circus or a zoo regulators would be all over them.

Ben T

Anonymous said...

Ben, These Hawthorn Elephants have and will always have a special place in my heart. The "director" tells her fan club I am VILE. Ken Givens told me those elephants would never be in TENN. So much for your politions word. If there were real elephant people working and careing for these elephants it would be wonderful and I would support it in every way. Some one getting revenge because she could not handle her one elephant is not a person I want my animals to go to. Her hate for JC and the circus back fired on her. She said JC was a phycopath[?] He is excretric. Thats a rich crazy person. Us poor folk are just crazy. She thought she was going to be in gravy by getting his elephants. She does not know him like we do does she? And she wonders why I love the man!!!

Anonymous said...

I overheard him on the phone one day telling a woman his name, which had him repeating what he said in his book. It was plain J.Y., an initial name only. He sent me Christmas cards from Mountain Home, Texas. He was a top grad of Texas A&M, gifted as a horse doctor. Curiously, he was licensed only in Louisiana, but was never questioned while practicing nationwide for the show. He learned exotic animal medicine strictly by pioneering in trial and error, but he became immensely successful where others hadn't tried under nearly his working conditions. His reputation led to towering respect, with many vets applying to study under him. He was entirely open and friendly, and my memories of him are dearly held.

Anonymous said...

Both according to his book, and to my conversations with him, Doc joined out Sarasota in 1941.

Doc told this on himself to my girlfriend in Florida. "My wife drove in and yelled, 'JY, what the hell are you doing?' I said, 'Why, I'm standing out here watering the yard.' And she yelled, 'In your underwear?' I thought I had on my Bermuda shorts."