Animal Defenders International (ADI) has launched the first nationwide
initiative in the United States about the use of elephants giving rides
or making appearances at public events. At the heart of the campaign is
a new DVD narrated by Emmy award winning TV host Bob Barker entitled
‘No Fun For Elephants,’ featuring harrowing undercover footage from
inside elephant training facilities in California, as well as abuse of
an elephant on tour by a Texas-owned company.
Bob Barker introduces the video, “To
many, it looks like harmless fun, but elephants pay a heavy price for
the few minutes of entertainment they provide when performing in circus
shows, giving rides, or making appearances at parades, weddings or other
events....isn’t it especially tragic when animals are suffering and being abused
simply to entertain us?”
The video includes ADI undercover footage showing elephants supplied
for rides, appearances and other events by Have Trunk Will Travel of
Perris, CA and Trunks & Humps of Conroe, TX, being beaten and
electric shocked during training and handling, behind the scenes. The
same trainers are then shown controlling the elephants as they give
rides and make appearances at parades.
The ‘No Fun For Elephants’ DVD is being mailed to event organizers
across the U.S., including board members of county fairs, renaissance
fairs and organizers of town parades, urging them to adopt a humane ‘no
elephant rides or performances’ policy, in view of the suffering these
animals endure. ADI also highlights the risks to public safety by the
way that just lightweight rope, tape or fencing is used to contain these
large and stressed animals, while they are in public.
Elephant rides have recently been abandoned by several events, after
viewing ADI evidence, including Orange County and Los Angeles County
Fairs, the city of Fountain Valley, CA, and Santa Ana Zoo. ADI is
confident that if event organizers are given the facts and understand
the cost to the animals, they will say “no” to the suffering.
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