Community Commentary -- Alison E. Stanley

If only you knew. If only you knew how performing wild animals are

treated, the conditions in which they live and travel and how they are

acquired in the first place, you wouldn’t wish it for your worst enemy.

And why don’t you know? How can you not know? Denying the facts does

not mean that they don’t exist. The Pilot’s recent article certainly did

nothing to explain the reasons that the animal display ordinance was

introduced to the City Council.

Nor did it do anything to increase public awareness of the harsh

realities behind animal exhibits. I don’t believe that the use of wild

and exotics animals in entertainment can be accomplished without cruel,

fear-based training methods. Those people whose livelihoods depend upon

making wild and exotic animals perform on demand insist that they train

and manage their animals using love, praise and food rewards. There is

ample documented evidence to the contrary.

Let us take Have Trunk Will Travel as a prime example. Has anyone

asked how they came to have those elephants?

In addition to the inhumane treatment of wild and exotic animals,

there is clear danger inherent in these situations.

What often happens when elephants become stressed by the harsh

treatment and demands of entertainment to which they are subjected is

that they rampage. When elephants rampage, they are impossible to stop

without lethal force.

These are wild animals. Trying to train them not to be wild is a

disgraceful folly. It is equally disrespectful and insulting to ask

children to believe that what they see when animals perform is the same

thing that they would see if the animals were in their natural

surroundings. Is an elephant walking in endless circles carrying children

on her back the very thing that she would be doing with other elephants

in the wild?

Additionally, the American Zoological Assn., of which Have Trunk Will

Travel is a member, has recommended discontinuing elephant rides for

safety reasons. The association states that human-elephant contact is

“inherently dangerous.” Why would the Orange County Fairgrounds continue

to risk public safety while promoting animal cruelty? Surely, there are

safer and less objectionable ways to generate revenue.

As a resident of Newport Beach and a subscriber to the Daily Pilot, I

insist upon accurate reporting of local news. In order to do that, it is

essential that you gather sufficient information to know the issues.

* ALISON E. STANLEY is the Orange County director of California Lobby

for Animal Welfare.