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Maine adopts rules and regulations for circus elephants |
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Written by MFOA
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Friday, 16 May 2003 |
(Falmouth) Maine will become the first state to pass legislation to
address the treatment of performing elephants. A three year effort by
Maine Friends of Animals (MFOA) and "Elephant Free in 200'j' culminated
with legislation that requires the Maine Department of Agriculture,
Food and Natural Resources to adopt rules regarding the care and
treatment of elephants. Maine would be the first state to require
specific guidelines for the care of elephants to be put into law.
MFOA and animal activists in Maine have long contended circus
elephants' lives are miserably inhumane. "When romanticizing the circus
with wild elephants, three basic facts are concealed — the excessive
and abusive training, the terrible life and conditions when not
performing and the sad disposition of the animal after it is no longer
useful to the circus," said campaign coordinator, Suzanne Carr.
Supporters of the legislation have pointed to the fact that elephants
spend the vast majority of their time in chains. This wild animal that
normally roams 20 miles a day spends much of its life traveling in a
truck or boxcar chained at the ankle living in its own feces and urine.
No light. No heat if cold. No AC if it is hot.
Some of these practices will now be in violation of the new rules that
will be written by the Agriculture Department and Animal Welfare
Department. The rules will specifically be based on the federal Animal,
Plant and Health Inspection Services Guidelines (APHIS). These federal
guidelines will be written into law in Maine. The amended bill awaits
the likely signature of the governor.
The bill was originally introduced in the 120'h legislative session by
So. Portland Representative Chris Muse. The "elephant bill" became the
first such legislation to pass in a state House. It then lost in the
Senate. But almost immediately after the session, Maine animal
activists formed "Elephant Free in 200')" and continued their effort to
get this landmark legislation passed this session.
"This was an organized and continuous effort to work with the
legislative process to bring about animal protection legislation," said
MFOA president and director, Robert Fisk, Jr. "We are very encouraged
that other states are likely to take Maine's lead and also pass
legislation that will end the plight of these magnificent, intelligent
and social animals." |
January 2008