[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 125 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1942]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE CAPTIVE ELEPHANT ACCIDENT PREVENTION ACT

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                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 23, 1999

  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act to make circuses more humane 
for the animals and safer for the spectators. I would like to make it 
clear that I am not interested in seeing the circus industry unduly 
hindered or encumbered. My bill is a practical, reasonable one that 
addresses a fundamental wrong in the entertainment industry.
  When an elephant rampages it can injure and kill spectators, not to 
mention damage property. There is simply no stopping a rampaging 
elephant until the animal is dead, a tragedy which is obviously a 
symptom of a larger problem. Because of circuses and elephant rides, 
we've grown accustomed to seeing elephants perform tricks or being 
ridden as if they are domesticated animals such as horses. But these 
are not domesticated creatures. Elephants are wild animals--animals for 
whom all the coaxing in the world will not encourage them to let you 
ride on their backs, or get them to stand on their heads, rear up on 
their hind legs, walk a balance beam, or any of the other unnatural 
stunts they perform in circuses.
  To get a 5 ton, 10 foot tall animal to perform these stressful, often 
painful stunts 2 or 3 shows per day, animal trainers use fear and 
torture. In his arsenal, the elephant trainer has devices such as high-
powered electric prods, ancuses, bull hooks (long sharpened metal hook 
at the end of a handle), and Martingales (heavy chains binding an 
elephant's tusks to his front feet). To get these giant, willful, wild 
animals to behave like trained dogs, elephants are brutalized. It is 
therefore understandable that when they get the chance, they kill 
people.
  Since 1983, at least 28 people have been killed by captive elephants 
performing in circuses and elephant ride exhibits. More than 70 others 
have been seriously injured, including at least 50 members of the 
general public who were spectators at circuses and other elephant 
exhibits. In fact, 9 states have banned elephants from close contact 
with the public. This includes giving rides or even photo ops, because 
of the danger of rampages.
  Why do we continue to use taxpayer dollars to murder endangered 
species in the middle of our major metropolitan areas when we could 
simply address the problem by removing elephants from these tragedies 
waiting to happen.
  My bill proposes to exclude elephants from traveling shows and to 
eliminate elephant rides, not to close down circuses. I ask my 
colleagues to join me as a cosponsor on the Captive Elephant Accident 
Prevention Act. I also want to thank game show host Bob Barker for 
coming to Washington, D.C. to support this bill H.R. 2929.

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