Nothing we don’t already know. 

 

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17169-circus-captivity-is-beastly-for-wild-animals.html

 

Circus captivity is beastly for wild animals

 

16:20 20 May 2009 by Andy Coghlan

 

Stars of the show they may be, but elephants, lions and tigers are the wild animals least suited to life in a circus, concludes the first global study of animal welfare in circuses.

"It’s no one single factor," says Stephen Harris of the University of Bristol, UK, and lead researcher of the study. "Whether it’s lack of space and exercise, or lack of social contact, all factors combined show it’s a poor quality of life compared with the wild," he says.

The survey concludes that on average, wild animals spend just 1 to 9 per cent of their time training, and the rest confined to cages, wagons or enclosures typically covering a quarter the area recommended for zoos.

Worst affected are elephants, lions, tigers and bears. Often they’re confined to cages where they pace up and down for hours on end.

"Even if they are in a larger, circus pen, there’s no enrichment such as logs to play with, in case they use them to break the fence and escape," says Harris.

Travel sick

Travel also takes its toll, although the evidence is limited. The study cites data showing that concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol in saliva from circus tigers remains abnormal up to 6 days after transport, and up to 12 days in tigers who’ve never travelled before.

The itineries can be gruelling too. When Harris and his colleagues analysed 153 European and North American circus trips, troupes only stayed at each single location for an average of a week before moving on, with an average of almost 300 kilometres between locations.

Even when they reach their destinations, the animals are often kept in conditions drastically different from their natural habitat. Elephants can be shackled for 12 to 23 hours per day when not performing, in areas from just 7 to 12 square metres. Often, they could only move as far as the chain would let them, just 1 to 2 metres.

In the wild, elephants spend 40 to 75 per cent of their time feeding, and cover up to 50 kilometres in a day.

Evidence also shows that circus elephants, lions, tigers, bears and even parrots, adopt repetitive abnormal movements and pacing, called sterotypies.

Also, the animals suffer ill-health both from confinement and from the tricks they learn to perform. Elephants, for example, become obese through inactivity and develop rheumatoid disorders and lameness as a result, as well as joint and hernia problems through having to adopt unnatural positions during performance.

Unnatural behaviour

"There is no evidence to suggest that the natural needs of non-domesticated animals can be met through the living conditions and husbandry offered by circuses," concludes the study. "Neither natural environment nor much natural behaviour can be recreated in circuses."

Although their conditions are not ideal, the species best suited to circus life include animals domesticated generations ago, such as dogs and horses. Horses, for example, have long adapted to travel between racecourses.

The same is not true, however, of the most glamorous wild animals. "It fits in with what you would intuitively imagine, that given the extensive transport, the sterile environment and the cramped conditions, you get welfare problems," says Rob Atkinson, head of the wildlife department at the UK Royal Society for the Protection of Animals.

The study notes that some countries such as Austria have already banned wild animals from circuses, but they still feature prominently in major circuses of the US and Europe. Elephants disappeared from UK circuses for 10 years, but three have been on display since February at the Great British Circus.

Journal reference: Animal Welfare, vol 18, p 129

This IS sad.  I too wonder what in the world would cause someone to do this.  I’m wondering what happend to the ROOF of this vehicle?  It’s hard to see precisely in this image but it looks completely crushed!  If so, this incident should be used to help make the case many auto safety experts having been making for years about week roof strength standards….which was discussed on Good Morning America just this morning.  Anyone see the show?

Here’s a link to story and video titled:

Some Seek Stricter Safety Standards for Car Roofs -

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7464281&page=1 

 

Ughhhh is right, yet sooooo predictable. I knew what EH would say the minute the subject of defending animals came up, before she even spoke a word. What about the 200,000 children killed by abortions? What about helping the homeless? Why not help the starving, help stop the genocide in Darfur, etc? Like rote, these are always the first words out of anyone’s mouth who is not an animal advocate, when they meet someone who is. Ignorance, plain and simple…and a bit jealousy, I believe. After all animal advocacy and environmentalism are two hugely growing movements, unmatched by any other. To EH and all those alike, I say to comments like yours: “You’re absolutely right, the poor, the starving, the homeless, the battered and abused, and even the unborn need and deserve our help….and animals too. Since you bring up the subject of abortion (in this instance) please tell me what are YOU doing to help this cause, which you obviously feel so passionate about? Are you donating your time and money speaking up on behalf of the unborn, educating others and recruiting new membership? Great! Then we have something in common! There are over 300 million people in this country and nearly as many causes that need passionate and empathetic people like you and me to volunteer our time; to stand up and fight for them. Of that 300 million I’d say animal advocates and environmentalists make up only a handful, although we are constantly working to enlighten ALL. Why don’t you work just as hard to do the same for whatever cause you feel passionate about instead of belitteling those who choose a different path than yours? What good does that do anyone or anything? I’m hopeful one day you will be wise enough to see the whole picture. I am an avid animal advocate who donates what I can afford and volunteers often for numerous animal groups, because that is what I choose to do with my free time and money. I will NEVER apologize for, or allow anyone to make me feel guilty about, that choice. Here’s a story of someone very dear to me, my hero and sister Paula, who choose a different path than I ,and who would never belittle me for mine, nor would I for hers. Find a cause to support which will enrich your life while enriching someone else’s, and the world will be a better place. http://www.sdranchcoastnews.com/new/cmv_dm_pages/cmv_dm_feature/ft6.html

Yes, thanks for the update. Here’s a wonderful video of an amazing friendship between an elephant and a dog…both living at the Tennessee Elephant sanctuary where we’re hoping to send Billy. http://www.elephants.com/media/CBS_News_1_2_09.htm I’ve been a huge elephant fan all my life, since I read “Horton Hatches the Egg” by Dr. Seuss—Horton is my role model for doing right. His life code: “I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one hundred percent.” What else do you need to know to be a good person!?!?!?

Bummer! I really liked this show.

I haven’t read through all the posts today so not sure if anyone has seen this news. Sounds like they are keeping Jenny in Dallas! What a shame. Dallas Zoo drops plan to ship elephant to Mexico - http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/elephant_fight DALLAS – Jenny the lonely elephant, whose pending move from the Dallas Zoo to Mexico had angered activists, isn’t going anywhere after all. The Dallas Zoo announced Wednesday that the roughly 10,000-pound pachyderm will remain at her home of 22 years and will eventually get a new companion. The decision to keep the elephant in Dallas “serves Jenny’s best interests,” said Gregg Hudson, the zoo’s executive director. Dallas Zoo officials had planned to ship Jenny to a wildlife park in Mexico after her companion died in May. African elephants become unhappy when left alone. But activists ripped the plan, saying Jenny is nervous and fears cars, and would be miserable at the drive-through park in Mexico where the Dallas Zoo planned to send her. Protests were held in front of the Dallas Zoo last month. Dallas Zoo officials said they have now expedited plans for a new elephant habitat, which would include a new companion for Jenny.

I haven’t read through all the posts today so not sure if anyone has seen this news. Sounds like they are keeping Jenny in Dallas! What a shame. Dallas Zoo drops plan to ship elephant to Mexico - http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/elephant_fight DALLAS – Jenny the lonely elephant, whose pending move from the Dallas Zoo to Mexico had angered activists, isn’t going anywhere after all. The Dallas Zoo announced Wednesday that the roughly 10,000-pound pachyderm will remain at her home of 22 years and will eventually get a new companion. The decision to keep the elephant in Dallas “serves Jenny’s best interests,” said Gregg Hudson, the zoo’s executive director. Dallas Zoo officials had planned to ship Jenny to a wildlife park in Mexico after her companion died in May. African elephants become unhappy when left alone. But activists ripped the plan, saying Jenny is nervous and fears cars, and would be miserable at the drive-through park in Mexico where the Dallas Zoo planned to send her. Protests were held in front of the Dallas Zoo last month. Dallas Zoo officials said they have now expedited plans for a new elephant habitat, which would include a new companion for Jenny.

I so hope this isn’t true. As for why mainstream media has layed low on covering this story…out of respect for Elizabeth, I would like to believe.

Any new science is good, but I belive that until more people start doing autopsies on their loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, we won’t know the true extent of its cause. See this link: http://www.mad-cow.org/Alzheimer_cjd.html An estimated two to three million Americans are afflicted by Alzheimer’s (Scully, 1993); it is the fourth leading cause of death among the elderly in the U.S (Perry, 1995). Twenty percent or more of people clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are found at autopsy to not have had Alzheimer’s at all (McKhann, 1984). At Yale, out of 46 patients clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, 6 were proven to be CJD at autopsy (Manuelidis, 1989). In another post-mortem study 3 out of 12 “Alzheimer” patients actually died from a spongiform encephalopathy (Teixeira, 1995). Carleton Gajdusek, who was awarded a Nobel Prize for his work with prion diseases (Manuelidis, 1985), estimates that 1% of people showing up in Alzheimer clinics actually have CJD (Folstein, 1983). That means that hundreds of people (Hoyert, 1996; United, 1995) may already be dying from mad cow disease each year in the United States.

To me, ‘having it all’ means being able to look myself in the mirror at the end of each day and say to myself: Thank you for this day. Today I told all those I love, that I love them. Today I treated my dogs and all living things with love and compassion. Today I did not lie, cheat or steal in any way, shape or form. Today I helped someone in need. Today I did my part in protecting MY constitution. Tomorrow I promise to do the same. And all Californians reading this, it’s urgent that you contact your Senators before Tuesday June 24, telling them you oppose any law that will silence American voices! - http://www.navs.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7511&news_iv_ctrl=120… California bill AB 2296, known as the Animal Enterprise Protection Act, has passed the state Assembly and is making its way to the state Senate. This bill would have a chilling effect on the rights of animal advocates who are legally and responsibly collecting evidence of animal abuse by people engaged in animal “enterprises.” The enterprises include agricultural use, pet shops and puppy mills, researchers, and other uses of animals. If this bill is passed, the video footage that revealed abuses at the California slaughterhouse operated by Westland/Hallmark Meat Company may have been unlawful, as the perpetrators of the abusive treatment of livestock may claim that airing the exposé put them reasonably in fear for their safety. Please sign here: http://impeachment.kucinich.us/petition/

I don’t believe that ALL meat is infected, but I do belive enough of it is for me to not take any chances. I just received this link today from a Mum in the UK who’s 24 year old son died of CJD in 2007 - http://www.justice4andy.com/20.html Very sad. I’m glad to see she’s fighting back and bringing awareness…scroll down to watch her video…what a Mum!

Human grown hormones, antibiotics…all of it fed to the animals on a daily basis. Just makes me ill. A few weeks ago the Mayor of Buffalo NY, Jimmy Griffin died. There was an article about his death posted on the WIVB News4 website, which, shortly after it was posted, was removed. This story, which Terry read, stated Mayor Griffin may have died from a rare brain disease known as CJD…but it was soon pulled from the website!! Now, I don’t know if this was his families doing or big industry…I tend to believe the latter. All subsequent stories on his death make no mention of cause of death, rather interesting don’t you think. I urge WowoWow reporters to follow up on this story and do all that you can to urge the Griffin family to go public with this news. It would be so, so valuable to the public. I so miss Tim Russert…being a Buffalo man himself, I would hope that he would have done all he could to follow up on this story. Mayor Griffin may have had rare brain disease WIVB - Buffalo,NY,USA Its called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or CJD, and it is rare - it strikes about one person in a million each year. It’s a frightening, rapidly progressive … P.S. this story was pulled. ???…tss http://www.wivb.com/Global/story.asp?S=8394968 Remembering a mayor: Jimmy Griffin Field? Posted: May 28, 2008 06:41 AM CDT Updated: May 28, 2008 08:56 AM CDT http://www.wivb.com/global/story.asp?s=8387885 Former Buffalo Mayor Dies R News - May 27 6:17 AMA man who spent more than 40 years in Western New York politics died Sunday. Former Buffalo Mayor “Jimmy” Griffin died after a brief illness. He served as Buffalo Mayor from 1978 though 1993. Griffin is survived by his wife and three children. http://www.rnews.com/Story_2004.cfm?ID=61614&rnews_story_type=18 interesting ???

MEAT! I’m scared to death of eating animal meat of all kind, but mostly US Certified BEEF! Scared to death is how all Americans should be, and would be if only they knew the truth. Why is it that the Koreans protesting the import of US Beef are so in tuned with the truth, yet the vast majority of American’s know nothing about just how widespread BSE, TSE, CJD, CWD i.e, Mad Cow Disease really is throughout the US? Could it be censorship on the part of American Media? Where are all the great reporters of the olden days who would go after a story with a vengence, all in the name of accurately informing the public? Please Candace, give a huge high five to the writers of Boston Legal for each and every week ever so subtly writing about mad cow disease, subtle being way better than no writing at all. Boston Legal is absolutely the most witty, intelligent, humorous show on TV filled with political jabs at every turn…Shattner & Spade, ah I’m in love…my all time favorite evening show! Kudos! Research and read, people read! Start by reading ‘Brain Trust’ which you can purchase here - http://www.colmkelleher.com/ - There are a lot of books out there on this subject. Don’t wait until you have a loved one suddenly become sick, as I did, before you begin reading up on their illness. For me my awakening came when my mother fell ill at 69 years of age to ‘dementia’ in 2001. Although Dr.’s diagnose it as Alzheimer’s, which we will never know for certain until autopsy, I have serious doubts. This disease was never in her family, in fact her parents and grandparents lived well into their late 80’s and early 90’s, and my mom was extremely healthy all her life, never was she sick other than maybe a cold every now and than. She never drank, smoked or took drugs, prescribed or otherwise. Yet, within the first year of diagnosis she was bedridden, couldn’t walk, couldn’t speak, did not/does not recognize any of her 9 children…these things do not typically occur at such an early stage. One year prior she was 100%, with all her faculties in tact. Wanting to better understand ‘mad cow’ disease, I joined a group of people who have/had love ones die of CJD, Creutzfeldt-Jakob (the human form of mad cow disease)…the numbers are staggering and there stories heart wrenching! These families are screaming at the top of their lungs wanting so very badly to warn the public, but their voices are being squashed at every turn! Example: Below is an email (real names excluded) I received just the other day…it is a response from one CJD member to another CJD member’s request for those afflicted with CJD in South Carolina to please contact him. She wrote: “Bill died on 1/13/2003 with a diagnosis of sCJD in Summerville, SC. Confirmed by brain autopsy by Dr. Gambetti’s lab in Cleveland. 14-3-3 in spinal fluid confirmed by lab at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Changes in brain via MRI confirmed by University of California at San Francisco, the clinic with which Dr. Prusiner is afilliated. Pressure to influence Fox’s national news office to not tell Bill’s story and Charlene ……..’s story about the horrors of CJD (scheduled to be shown at the same time) successfully exerted by attorneys for beef industry on Fox’s attorneys.” People, big Agribusiness is just that…BIG! Very influential…we will never hear the truth from them or our government so do the research yourself. One blog that is a good source of information is Terry S. Singletary’s here - http://www.blogger.com/profile/06986622967539963260 - who writes: “My mother was murdered by what I call corporate and political homicide i.e. FOR PROFIT! she died from a rare phenotype of CJD i.e. the Heidenhain Variant of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease i.e. sporadic, simply meaning from unknown route and source. I have simply been trying to validate her death DOD 12/14/97 with the truth. There is a route, and there is a source. There are many here in the USA. WE must make CJD and all human TSE, of all age groups ‘reportable’ Nationally and Internationally, with a written CJD questionnaire asking real questions pertaining to route and source of this agent. Friendly fire has the potential to play a huge role in the continued transmission of this agent via the medical, dental, and surgical arena. We must not flounder any longer. …TSS” The horrendous abuse being done to animals on factory farms & slaughterhouse’s throughout the US should be enough in and of itself to encourage you to choose not to eat animal products of any kind, but awakening yourself to the ‘disease’ factor, such as mad cow should be all you need know. Sadly, in just now reading this conversation Candace began two days ago, I am two days late and a lot of dollars short as the saying sorta goes, which means most likely this post will never be read by WOW participants. I sincerely hope that is not the case.

MEAT! I’m scared to death of eating animal meat of all kind, but mostly US Certified BEEF! Scared to death is how all Americans should be, and would be if only they knew the truth. Why is it that the Koreans protesting the import of US Beef are so in tuned with the truth, yet the vast majority of American’s know nothing about just how widespread BSE, TSE, CJD, CWD i.e, Mad Cow Disease really is throughout the US? Could it be censorship on the part of American Media? Where are all the great reporters of the olden days who would go after a story with a vengence, all in the name of accurately informing the public? Please Candace, give a huge high five to the writers of Boston Legal for each and every week ever so subtly writing about mad cow disease, subtle being way better than no writing at all. Boston Legal is absolutely the most witty, intelligent, humorous show on TV filled with political jabs at every turn…Shattner & Spade, ah I’m in love…my all time favorite evening show! Kudos! Research and read, people read! Start by reading ‘Brain Trust’ which you can purchase here - http://www.colmkelleher.com/ - There are a lot of books out there on this subject. Don’t wait until you have a loved one suddenly become sick, as I did, before you begin reading up on their illness. For me my awakening came when my mother fell ill at 69 years of age to ‘dementia’ in 2001. Although Dr.’s diagnose it as Alzheimer’s, which we will never know for certain until autopsy, I have serious doubts. This disease was never in her family, in fact her parents and grandparents lived well into their late 80’s and early 90’s, and my mom was extremely healthy all her life, never was she sick other than maybe a cold every now and than. She never drank, smoked or took drugs, prescribed or otherwise. Yet, within the first year of diagnosis she was bedridden, couldn’t walk, couldn’t speak, did not/does not recognize any of her 9 children…these things do not typically occur at such an early stage. One year prior she was 100%, with all her faculties in tact. Wanting to better understand ‘mad cow’ disease, I joined a group of people who have/had love ones die of CJD, Creutzfeldt-Jakob (the human form of mad cow disease)…the numbers are staggering and there stories heart wrenching! These families are screaming at the top of their lungs wanting so very badly to warn the public, but their voices are being squashed at every turn! Example: Below is an email (real names excluded) I received just the other day…it is a response from one CJD member to another CJD member’s request for those afflicted with CJD in South Carolina to please contact him. She wrote: “Bill died on 1/13/2003 with a diagnosis of sCJD in Summerville, SC. Confirmed by brain autopsy by Dr. Gambetti’s lab in Cleveland. 14-3-3 in spinal fluid confirmed by lab at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Changes in brain via MRI confirmed by University of California at San Francisco, the clinic with which Dr. Prusiner is afilliated. Pressure to influence Fox’s national news office to not tell Bill’s story and Charlene ……..’s story about the horrors of CJD (scheduled to be shown at the same time) successfully exerted by attorneys for beef industry on Fox’s attorneys.” People, big Agribusiness is just that…BIG! Very influential…we will never hear the truth from them or our government so do the research yourself. One blog that is a good source of information is Terry S. Singletary’s here - http://www.blogger.com/profile/06986622967539963260 - who writes: “My mother was murdered by what I call corporate and political homicide i.e. FOR PROFIT! she died from a rare phenotype of CJD i.e. the Heidenhain Variant of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease i.e. sporadic, simply meaning from unknown route and source. I have simply been trying to validate her death DOD 12/14/97 with the truth. There is a route, and there is a source. There are many here in the USA. WE must make CJD and all human TSE, of all age groups ‘reportable’ Nationally and Internationally, with a written CJD questionnaire asking real questions pertaining to route and source of this agent. Friendly fire has the potential to play a huge role in the continued transmission of this agent via the medical, dental, and surgical arena. We must not flounder any longer. …TSS” The horrendous abuse being done to animals on factory farms & slaughterhouse’s throughout the US should be enough in and of itself to encourage you to choose not to eat animal products of any kind, but awakening yourself to the ‘disease’ factor, such as mad cow should be all you need know. Sadly, in just now reading this conversation Candace began two days ago, I am two days late and a lot of dollars short as the saying sorta goes, which means most likely this post will never be read by WOW participants. I sincerely hope that is not the case. God bless Tim Russert.

C A Rose - Consider yourself one of the lucky ones for having never driven a car! $10,000 people die annually from rollover accidents due to vehicle ROOFS crushing in on them, and 24,000 people annually are catastrophically injured (quadriplegic, paraplegic and/or massive brain injuries) due to vehicle ROOFS crushing in on them. While we’re on the subject of transportation, let’s get a discussion going about the recent Senate Hearing that was just held June 4th in D.C. on ‘Roof Crush’ in vehicle rollovers. We now know that for 35 years auto manufacturer’s have knowingly been designing vehicles with ‘weak roofs’, roofs that DO NOT withstand a rollover crash. And now NHTSA, National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, who is supposed to be looking out for American Citizen’s safety is, due to pressure from auto safety experts and auto safety advocates, proposing an extremely weak upgrade, to the current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FVMSS216 (since 1973.) This new proposed rule is expected to go into effect July 1, 2008. The motoring public should be up in arms about this! And to top it off, NHTSA has added a preemption clause to this new standard that essentially will give total immunity from prosecution to all auto manufacturer’s who follow it. This means anyone who is ever killed or catastrophically injured by a vehicle roof crushing in on them could NEVER sue the auto manufacturer for faulty design (product liability.) This is outrageous! It is my hope that anyone who reads this will write to your Senators and Congressmen NOW before this July 1, 2008 deadline, demanding stronger roofs. Sources: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/06/nhtsa_roof.html http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080605/BUSINESS01/8060… Read “Deadly by Design” at this site: http://www.peoplesafeinrollovers.org/Deadly_by_Design.pdf