Congressman Farr has introduced a very important and
revolutionary piece of legislature, H.R.2929, the "Captive Elephant
Accident Prevention Act of 1999," that has the potential to end the
exploitation of captive elephants, by prohibiting certain conduct
relating to captive elephants, including banning the use of elephants in
traveling shows and circuses as well as elephant rides.
Since the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
is unable to prevent further suffering and is, according to its own
documents, enforcing only "minimum standards," legislation is necessary
to alleviate the suffering of elephants in traveling shows.
Directly below you will find sample letters asking House
Representatives to cosponsor the Farr legislation and Senators to
introduce a similar legislature in the Senate. Please type your name and
address at the bottom of each letter and email them to your
Representative and Senators. The animals are counting on you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Search for your representative by zip code:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
RE: Please Co-sponsor the Captive Elephant Accident
Prevention Act-H.R. 2929
Dear Representative (YOUR REP'S NAME):
United States Congressman Sam Farr has proposed a bill
that would prohibit the use of elephants in circuses and traveling
sideshows. I urge you to co-sponsor (if you have not done so already)
Mr. Farr's Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act-H.R. 2929.
Elephants suffer terribly from the rigors of travel and
training in circuses. In the wild they travel up to 30 miles a day. In
captivity for entertainment they are deprived of their natural behaviors
and are chained by one front leg and one back leg for 95-99% of their
lives.
In circuses the elephants' complex social structure is
destroyed. Many circuses and sideshows keep solitary elephants, which is
extremely cruel. Elephants in circuses continually sway and exhibit
neurotic behavior resulting from extreme stress from severe confinement.
Elephants are often chained in scorching hot boxcars for 18 hours,
unable to move from their own excrement. Elephants left for days in
trucks and boxcars have been found dead inside. Elephants are beaten and
broken to perform tricks for audiences who are unaware of the horror
circus animals endure.
Elephant exhibits are very dangerous for people,
especially children. In the last nine years captive elephant attacks
have resulted in at least 18 deaths and about 100 injuries, including
trainers, bystanders and riders. Elephants also pose a threat of
infecting the public with tuberculosis.
I hope I can count on your support to outlaw the cruelty
and the danger of wild elephant exhibits. Using animals in
"entertainment" is not worth the harm caused to these sensitive,
intelligent beings. It is not worth putting the public at risk.
Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Search for your Senators: www.Senare.gov/contacting/index.cfm
RE: Please introduce Captive Elephant Accident
Prevention Act
Dear Senator (YOUR SENATOR'S NAME):
United States Congressman Sam Farr has proposed a bill
in the House that would prohibit the use of elephants in circuses and
traveling sideshows. The bill is called the Captive Elephant Accident
Prevention Act-H.R. 2929. I urge you to introduce a similar bill in the
Senate.
Elephants suffer terribly from the rigors of travel and
training in circuses. In the wild they travel up to 30 miles a day. In
captivity for entertainment they are deprived of their natural behaviors
and are chained by one front leg and one back leg for 95-99% of their
lives.
In circuses the elephants' complex social structure is
destroyed. Many circuses and sideshows keep solitary elephants, which is
extremely cruel. Elephants in circuses continually sway and exhibit
neurotic behavior resulting from extreme stress from severe confinement.
Elephants are often chained in scorching hot boxcars for 18 hours,
unable to move from their own excrement. Elephants left for days in
trucks and boxcars have been found dead inside. Elephants are beaten and
broken to perform tricks for audiences who are unaware of the horror
circus animals endure.
Elephant exhibits are very dangerous for people,
especially children. In the last nine years captive elephant attacks
have resulted in at least 18 deaths and about 100 injuries, including
trainers, bystanders and riders. Elephants also pose a threat of
infecting the public with tuberculosis.
I hope I can count on your support to outlaw the cruelty
and the danger of wild elephant exhibits. Using animals in
"entertainment" is not worth the harm caused to these sensitive,
intelligent beings. It is not worth putting the public at risk.
Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS)
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Farewell Prayer for Arnold the Tiger
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