We have a big #cheer today for the state of Hawaii which is on its way to becoming the first state in America to ban the use of wild animals for entertainment purposes. Last week, the Department of Agriculture board approved the proposed rule which would ban the use of animals such as elephants, big cats, bears, primates, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, crocodiles and hyenas “for exhibition or performance in public entertainment shows such as circuses, carnivals and state fairs.”
According to the Huffington Post, the move was partially prompted by the recent release of “Tyke Elephant Outlaw” — a documentary about a circus elephant who had gone amok in Honolulu in 1994. Tyke was a 20-year-old female African elephant who ran over her groomer and killed her trainer in the middle of a performance at Honolulu’s Circus International.
The circus captive was able to escape from Neal Blaisdell Center when she was shot dead by police to stop further damage. “You could see blood and bullet holes,” recalled Tyler Ralston, a witness from the August 20, 1994 tragedy.
Several countries and 50 municipalities in 22 U.S. states have implemented partial or full bans on circus animals, but there is no U.S. state, however, that has taken collective action, against animal exploitation on this scale.
We hope that Hawaii’s ban encourages other states to follow suit and take the necessary steps to end the exploitation of animals in entertainment. You can take action today and inform your state legislators about the horrors that exist for animals in the current entertainment industry and urge them to support legislation that will completely ban animal entertainment in your state.
– See more at: https://secure.friendsofanimals.org/news/2015/november/cheers-and-jeers-1#sthash.1ugjatN1.dpuf