Circus-elephant keeper ordered out of L.A.

The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services ordered a circus-elephant keeper to pack his three elephants and leave town Thursday for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act.

[Patrick Puhl]

Before we applaud this decision, read the article again. They didn't protect the animals at all. They just told him "You can't abuse them in this county, but by all means, feel free to abuse them anyplace else." If they were actually going to do something to show their disapproval, they should have taken the animals away from him. The fact that he's done this in other states under different aliases means that no one else is willing to step in on the animals behalf either.

So while it's great and all that he can't make money in L.A. or Arizona or Texas, he's still got a lot of other places he can make a living. If we need stronger laws, then make stronger laws. But the politicians should not be as self congratulatory as they are with this small victory. This is essentially like telling an abusive parent "Hey, you can't smack your kid around here, so take your kid and do it someplace else." If we can take kids out of abusive environments, we can do the same for animals. They deserve it.

[TrishTehAwesome]

Wait wait wait...he's been revoked the permit because of animal mishandling...and they let him take his elephants WITH him?
Does this make sense to anyone else??

[Great news]

People who are cruel and inhumane to animals should not be allowed to exhibit their cruelty to children in this city. I think this sends a great message.

[Great news]

Poster number one. Ed Boks only has jurisdiction in LA City. If he could ban this guy from all states he would. He can only ban him from the city of LA. What the USDA needs to do is revoke his permit. Then he can't have elephants at all. He would have to give them to someone who could care for them properly and has an active usda permit

[Alex Smith]

This is sensationalizes nonsense. CIRCUS VAZQUEZ was already in LA playing Hunnington Park for 3 weeks. All permits and inspections by LA City , Fish and Game, and USDA were cleared DAILY. It wasn't until the animal rights PETA people showed up in Panorama City to protest that this occured.
They inspected the elephants and equipment head to toe and even followed the trainer and the elephants during the show with a camera to make sure there was no abuse and THERE WAS NONE.
A rule enacted only 6 weeks ago that claims any trainer with a negative cite from USDA (the agency responsible for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act) in the last 5 years can't perform in the city limits. The violation this trainer made was several years ago and had to do with fence size in the enclosure. It was not abuse! That's like giving a you a moving violation on your driving record for a parking ticket.
CIRCUS VAZQUEZ has been in LA for 3 weeks and inspected every day and passed. There is no proof of abuse and the trainers were very diplomatic in agreeing with the LA City permits a process which began over 8 weeks ago.
This is an example of PETA and other groups influencing the right people. This circus is an excellant show and a favorite for local audiences who were dissapointed that there would be no elephants.
You people that think this is such a great decision might ask ED BOKS why it took him three weeks to get the elephants out of the city? My hypothesis is that there was no abuse and PETA influenced him. The same PETA that's on the FBI terrorist list.

[Alex]

I retract one statement and that is about the elephants being in LA CITY for 3 weeks. While it is true they were in HUNNINGTON PARK for 2 1/2 weeks this falls under LA COUNTY jurisdiction, not LA CITY.

If you look on another post trainer ADAM HILL reports abuse abuse in 06 and 07 BEFORE Will Davenport took control of the elephants. Should Will Davenport be responsible for abuse or violations that occured prior to that date? Also, what's Adam Hill's USDA record?

Regardless, all regulations as required were met except for this NEW law that was enacted 6 weeks ago AFTER the permit process began 8 WEEKS ago. This law was one that states any USDA violation on record in 5 years revoke the trainer's permit. I will say it again, this violation was for a regulation in regards to the fence size. I think abuse is a strong word and 1-sided reporting. I also feel that to mention the tragic fall last season of an aerialist in east LA at Circo Vazquez is unfair. Circus acrobats fall every year (even in Cirque Du Soliel) a LA County Sheriff and CAL OSHA investigation has turned up no wrongdoing on the part of CIRCO VAZQUEZ.

CIRCO VAZQUEZ is an excellant show that has drawn great crowds in PANORAMA CITY for the last week. I invite everyone to come out and see this show and watch the remining animal acts with tigers, camels, horses, and dogs and also inspect their living quarters and see if you see any abuse.

[Jan McClellan]

I live in AZ. What name has he used here? Why couldn't the elephants be seized? Kudos on the new city rules for exotic animals that allowed this disgusting abuser to be booted.
Jan McClellan
Citizens Against Covance
Chandler, AZ
www.stopcovance.com

[Jan McClellan]

Alex,
Fence size, cage size, enclosure size, improper housing, whether in a lab or a circus, ARE indeed VIOLATIONS of the Animal Welfare Act. It has to do with environmental enhancement and psychological abuse... it does not have to be a beating.
No, I'm not Peta, I'm Citizens Against Covance www.stopcovance.com

[Jan McClellan]

Michael:

You said, "A Federal "Animal Welfare Act" to protect animals (tolerable vermin, at best); no laws whatsoever to protect humans (the unborn) who are created in the image and likeness of the Almighty God.

God is really smiling on you, America. No wonder we have lost 4,000 of our best and brightest to the weapons of our enemies. The Lord will scourge this country, and we have certainly earned it."

You are wrong -- there are myriad laws to protect human animals. You have blasphemed God and God's non-human charges whom we have been given "dominion" over: responsibility for, guardianship of, protection of. The Lord has already scourged this country. We have George W. Bush and he is responsible for the deaths of the 4,000 by creating those enemies of the U.S. and its policy of intolerance of other lifestyles. Pray for yourself and other INtolerable vermins.

[Susan]

Jan,

Please educate yourself. Yes, there are laws, but they are rarely enforced. Do you honestly believe God put those beautiful creatures on this earth to entertain you? This is a concept of man, not God. Using animals in live shows is primitive and belongs in the 19th century. One would hope we have become a more enlightened and sophisticated society by now.

[Fiasko Gable]

Are they talking about Shaq and his agent?

[Jan McClellan]

Susan,

Please read mine again. I am quoting Michael from SC. I totally agree with you. I've been in shows that included animal "acts" and I know first-hand how they are abused and that includes Siegfried & Roy.

Jan
Citizens Against Covance
www.stopcovance.com

[Susan]

Sorry, Jan, my error. I think I just get so angry when I read all the idiotic comments posted that I just can't see straight. They must have all gone to the same school George Bush went to.

For anyone who is interested in getting involved with helping Tina, Jewel, and Boo, go to the In Defense of Animals website.
http://www.idausa.org/

[Barbara Shepler]

If you love elephants, please don't patronize circuses who continue to drag them around the country and keep them chained for hours on hard surfaces. Elephants need to walk many miles a day on a variety of soft surfaces for their health. Many elephants who perform for you in circuses die long before their time of foot, bone and joint diseases that aren't a problem in the wild.

Every community that rejects allowing elephants to be treated this way reduces the market for this abuse. If you care about these beautiful creatures, please learn more about the proper treatment of them and help us save Tina, Jewel and Queenie/Boo. http://www.idausa.org/

[Fay Morris]

Eons ago, Aristotle studied the wild beast elephant and eloquently concluded - ""It is the best that passeth all others in wit and mind". Gandhi stated -" A nation can be judged by how they treat the animals."
A wise Chief Dan George of the Tsliel-waututh Nation said - "If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." Tina, Jewel and Boo [queenie] are in dire need of sanctuary. The only authority that can confiscate them is the USDA. Citizens that care could achieve sanctuary for these three gentle giants by appealing to the Western office of the USDA. There is power in citizens. Thank you for reading my letter.

[Alex]

Okay, sorry to break your bubble if you were talkin about me. I was not educated at the same school George Bush was in fact I didn't even vote for him, but back to the elephants.

You all are probably hoping they are retired to THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY in Tennessee. Maybe that is for the best but just so you know the woman who runs that operation is an ex-circus trainer herself and performed one of the cruelest most dangerous acts ever with an elephant by putting it on rollerskates. If you don't believe me I'll send you a picture and also one of her handlers was killed by an elephant because of unsafe conditions three years ago.

[Karen]

Alex, you are correct. The "woman who runs that operation" did indeed perform with her elephant Tarra in circuses. I'm sure, however, that you won't find any pictures of Tarra locked away in a boxcar for hours on end, emaciated, or with ankus wounds on her body. Ms. Buckley purchased land and started the sanctuary for Tarra when she determined that circus life was no life for an elephant. It has grown since then to 2700 acres and has provided care for many retired, ill, and abused zoo and circus elephants. They are free to live as closely as possible to elephants in the wild.

The death of the caregiver to whom you referred as a handler, which incidentally is a misnomer since the caregivers at the sanctuary provide only care for the resident elephants and don't "handle" them, was a result of a tragic accident with an elephant with PTSD from the abuse she had received during her zoo days and not because of unsafe conditions.

Thank you for the invitation, but I have no intention of ever attending a circus, except maybe Cirque du Soleil. Being entertained by abused animals just isn't my thing.

[Nedly Mandingo]

Animal abuse is cool cat's in microwaves dog fighting etc. I say have a domestic animal circus where you toss kittens into the air and bet if he lands on his feet. I am sure are animal shelters are completely empty from all the pet lovers doing the right thing. Two faced liars just like the homeless you want to cry about it but I don't see anyone actually taking them home though!

[Reuben]

Alex, your posts have been largely inaccurate from start to finish, but just to clarify the big ones: Will Davenport has been working with these particular elephants since at least 2006, so all the recent citations about care for these elephants were about his care. The record of abuses includes excessive bullhooking, failure to provide veterinary care and more You can find them detailed on www.helpelephants.com (or www.idausa.org ), along with descriptions of how these elephants have suffered their entire lives with circuses. Sadly, LA did not have the authority to confiscate them, but the USDA does, and we as citizens need to urge them to do so. These elephants have suffered too much already for our entertainment, and it is time to take them to a Sanctuary where they can live out their lives as naturally as possible for them at this point.

[Susan]

I think Alex has been shot out of the cannon too many times without wearing a helmet. Alex, take your kids to a library or a museum instead. I'm sure your home is on four wheels, so transportation is not a problem. Have you ever heard the saying it's like putting lipstick on a pig? We ain't buying, circus freak!