The ASPCA Joins Massachusetts State Senator Robert Hedlund to Ban the Use of Exotic Animals in Circuses and Traveling Shows

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Tuesday, 6 May 2003

S. 184 to be heard by Criminal Justice Committee in public hearing on Wed., May 7.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is joining with Massachusetts State Senator Robert Hedlund, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the Animal Protection Institute (API), and the South Shore Humane Society in urging Massachusetts legislators to support S. 184, a bill scheduled for public hearing before the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday, May 7. The legislation would prohibit the use of any primate, wildcat, bear, or elephant in a traveling show or circus. Violators would be subject to a fine of up to $5000 per animal per display and/or a term of imprisonment of up to one year.

This bill is a response to the inherent cruelty of circuses and other traveling shows, which are incapable of accommodating the needs of exotic animals. In the wild, these animals would enjoy strong bonds with their mothers or peers or roam for miles at a time. As "performers" in circuses and traveling shows, they spend twenty or more hours per day, up to fifty weeks per year, chained and/or confined to small cages or improperly vented railroad cars. They often display stereotypical behaviors that are indicative of extreme stress such as head swaying and bobbing, pacing, or self-mutilation. Escapes and attacks on the public have been documented.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has repeatedly cited - but done little to punish - various circuses for the improper treatment of animals. For example, the USDA has noted severe scarring and leg lacerations on elephants - the likely result of beatings with "training" bullhooks and the forcible and premature separation of baby elephants from their mothers with ropes and chains.

"Many localities across the United States have already banned the use of exotic animals in performances," states Lisa Weisberg, ASPCA Senior Vice-President, Government Affairs and Public Policy. "It is our hope that Massachusetts legislators will seek to have the Commonwealth lead other states in both the humane treatment of animals and also the health and safety of its residents by supporting S. 184."

For more information about the pending bill and what you can do, visit the ASPCA's website.

For more information, or to contact American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, see their website at: www.aspca.org