Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Connecticut Bill Passes #1


By COLIN POITRAS
Courant Staff Writer

April 24 2007

As the birthplace of P.T. Barnum, and the one-time home of the ivory piano key industry, Connecticut has a long, sometimes painful history with elephants.

On Monday, animal advocates scored a legislative victory they hope will make the association between man and beast a bit less painful.

A bill that makes it a crime for animal trainers to use sharp, pointed bullhooks to control circus elephants passed the legislature's judiciary committee Monday by a 22-17 vote.

If the bill becomes law,Connecticut will be one of the first states in the country to ban the use of such devices. Massachusetts, California, Rhode Island, Nebraska and New York City are considering similar bans.

Representatives of the circus industry say the bullhook, also known as an ankus, is a harmless tool used to get an elephant's attention and direct commands. Animal rights activists say it is a cruel device that trainers use to hook into the animal's wrinkled flesh to inflict pain so the animal will respond.

"A vote for this bill is a vote to ban the circus coming to Connecticut with elephants," said Carroll J. Hughes, a lobbyist for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, which is coming to Hartford May 9 for a four-day run.

"The only cruelty here is being done against the families and children of this state who have the right to see a circus just as their ancestors did," Hughes said.

State Rep. Diana S. Urban, D-North Stonington and the bill's sponsor, objects to the industry's defense of the bullhooks. She believes there are painless wands and other implements available that are equally effective.

"We used to stick kids down chimneys to clean them too; we don't do that anymore," Urban said while awaiting results of Monday's vote. "Saying we must allow it because that's the way we've always done it - I have no patience for that."

The proposed bill makes it a Class A misdemeanor for people to use any device on an elephant that may reasonably be expected to harm the animal by "damaging, scarring or breaking the elephant's skin." People who violate the law can be punished by up to a year in prison and a fine of $2,000.

The bill also makes it a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in prison if a person who "houses, possesses or travels with an elephant" or uses an elephant in a traveling show or circus to possess such a device.

Sen. Edwin A. Gomes, who represents Bridgeport, hometown of Barnum, the great-grandfather of the modern circus, said he couldn't find it in himself to cast a vote that might stop a circus from ever coming to town.

State Rep. James F. Spallone, D-Essex, said his town and its Ivoryton section has a proud history of using elephant ivory for economic gain through the manufacture of piano keys. But Spallone said he was voting for the bill, acknowledging that it was a step forward.

"Things evolve and change over time," Spallone said. "There may be better ways to control elephants than what we are doing."

Connecticut's only privately licensed owner of Asian elephants, Robert Commerford of Goshen, said he has invested a half-million dollars providing his three pachyderms with a heated barn and tens of thousands more on veterinarian bills for the elephants and other species in his exotic menagerie that includes a giraffe, kangaroo, monkeys, camels and antelope.

Using the bullhook is like using spurs on a horse, he said. When used properly, it doesn't hurt the animal. The 2-foot long metal hook, which looks similar to a fireplace poker, helps control the elephants, Commerford said.

"A bullhook is an extension of the handler's arm," Commerford said.

"Imagine you're a person weighing 150 pounds and you're standing next to an elephant weighing 12,000 pounds. If you're 6 feet tall, the elephant next to you is 2 feet taller than you."

Commerford's family makes a living traveling up and down the East Coast showing the "traveling zoo" at fairs and other events. His elephants have also been used in television commercials and movies.

"It's sad they're making a cruelty thing out of this when it's not cruel," Commerford said. "There are plenty of laws already on the books for animal cruelty. This law is redundant."



Mike Naughton

YANKEE DOODLE CIRCUS
PO Box 440
Slingerlands, New York 12159

11 comments:

Mike Naughton said...

OK--when RBBB is in CT, along with Commerfords who have been based in CT for at least 50 years there are approximately 6-8 professional elephant attendants.

Each attendant has one angkus, who's root word comes from the Hinduu for "angle" not "pointy thing".

Six angkuses is what this bill is all about in state that has the highest per-capita income in the USA.

What about all the kids and senior citizens that are the victims of abuse and neglect and inadequate nutrition and health care?
CT has a few big cities with some BIG URBAN problems.


So, this bill is not really about Commerfords and RBBB, who have excellent elephant operations, it is about the animal agitators' personal beliefs made into an emotional belief and is now being ramped down our throats as a legal belief.

The high standard of living that we are currently enjoying in society has caused those wacko-s on the fringe of civilization to concentrate on frivilous distractions regarding animals above more important issues regarding fellow human beings; health care, nutrition, housing and a basic education.

Isn't it ironic that the agitators arrive at these big city arenas, park their cars, unload their posters and propaganda and walk towards the building to protest animals who's basic standard of living surpases humans on the downside of the ecomonic scale. They walk right past fellow humans, those poor homeless people laying in the gutter with filthy clothes, unbathed bodies and in most cases overcome with debilitating mental illness.

How can a small sliver of society, these agitators, get their beliefs made into law while disregarding the overwhelming vast majority? Isn't it suppose to be "majority rules"? Or did I miss something?

P.S. I've known the Commerfords for more than 25 years. If you put in a hot tub and a tennis court their new elephant barn could become a resort hotel.

Anonymous said...

Well said, Mike!

Once again, I maintain that the animal "rights" activists have created a grand platform on which to raise money - LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY. Now if you found the "Golden Goose" would you want to let it out of the barn? They are quite successful in their endeavors and keep a number of people living in grand style...even though as a general rule they do not support ANY animal care organizations and even contradict their "message" (i.e. the Carolina incident!) BUT they ARE able to convince lawmakers - with all that MONEY that tTHEY are right, because WHAT ELSE do politicians respond to....???

Yet, NOT ONE of the animal professionals/or professional "emeriti" had an opportunity to comment, other than last minute email and letters.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE???

Thanks for letting me blow off steam!!

:-)

Cindy Potter

Buckles said...

I could see this coming when lack of discipline in Public Schools resulted in the use of Metal Detectors to keep kids from killing each other.
Now these same people are on a crusade against anyone who owns a well behaved elephant.

Anonymous said...

The legislators in CT bowed under pressure from the AR left.You can't find a better animal owner/operator than Bob Cummerford. This is a sad day in CT.

Well said Mike and Cindy. Buckles, you are so right.

Anonymous said...

I'm just wondering...whose jurisdiction would these ridiculous laws be under? I have very little faith to believe that police will be inspecting circus facilities for lingering ankuses...But I wasn't aware that the Fish and Wildlife people could distribute tickets or enfore official state laws...USDA wouldn't be in charge of this because then it would be a national issue, not state. Who or what division is going to waste time enforcing this?

Anonymous said...

From Eric:

If you belong to and/or financially support the same political party as the bill's sponsor Rep. Diana S. Urban, you might want to consider changing your party affiliation as a means of "sending them a message."

Mike Naughton said...

Apologies for the misspelling of ankus. I sent the first newspaper article to Buckles at 6:45 am, and while preparing to leave the house I jotted off my comment at 8:00 am. I just returned home and discovered the spelling error.

Sarrie, aisle b mor kar ful nex tyme.

Anonymous said...

I believe the state of Ct will empower HSUS as has a number of other states and also since 9-11 there is a lot of cross jurisdictional enforcement
As a citizen, basically no one has been able to fight this totally unconstitutional abuse of power
As long as any judge will give you standing you could charge anyone with anything
As is true with a lot of our justice system,our constitution and our personal rights are most at threat from the judges. Between listening to nonsensical lawsuits and runaway prosecuters with political agendas citzen rights have gone right out the window.
Think about it, the legislature,in this case is overiding the people already charged with the duty of enforcing already existing animal cruelty laws.

Anonymous said...

From Eric:

Larry Allen Dean is quite correct when he said, "As is true with a lot of our justice system,our constitution and our personal rights are most at threat from the judges."

The major agenda of the leftists and liberals with whom the Animal Rights crowd identifies is to be in a position to elect and/or appoint judges who will support their causes from the bench. "Animal right" is just a small piece of their overall master plan.

Anonymous said...

If this "Elephant Ban" actually goes into effect, other states would follow in time. If some of our lawmakers are animal activists (or just sympathetic to the misguided cause) there is no telling how many states might do the same.

It is possible that a circus like Ringling might loose too many states to perform in and finally give up their elephants? Would they keep up their breeding facility? My guess is not, after all the circus is a business. Why have that added expense if the end result (young elephants) can't be used in their circuses. Not too many other organizations are breeding elephants in America. It is possible that in 60 or 70 years elephants could be extinct in America. I think anyone who signs into law any ban of elephants, their names should be forever linked to the loss of elephants in this country. Maybe it should be carved on their tomb stones as well.

Anonymous said...

And that my friends is the plan. There are to be no elephants, tigers, lion, etc. in captivity in this country and then the world. These dirty animals just take up space and resources that people can exploit. So they need to be removed from the face of the earth. What a wonderful world we live in today. Hopefully the aniamls will figure this out(sure they will) and start eliminating people from the face of the earth. I think they have already started.