Council urged to adopt elephant rule

• By SCOTT DYER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Apr 4, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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An animal-rights activist group is pushing the Metro Council to ban traveling circuses from using bullhooks and electric prods on elephants.

The call by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals comes as the Carson and Barnes Circus is preparing to perform on April 11-13 in Baton Rouge.

In a letter to Mayor Pro Tem Joe Greco and the Metro Council, PETA Captive Exotic Animal Specialist Lisa Wathne called for an ordinance to ban the use of hooks and prods on elephants.

There isn’t time to pass such an ordinance before the circus comes to town next week, but Wathne said it would prevent elephant abuse in the future.

“We hope you agree that the abuse of animals in circuses is unacceptable and that you’ll make this year’s Carson and Barnes visit the last time that elephants will have to endure the bite of a bullhook in Baton Rouge Parish,” Wathne said.

Wathne noted in her letter that the Carson and Barnes Circus paid a $400 fine for mishandling elephants, but didn’t say where or when. Attempts to reach Wahne at the number listed on her press release were unsuccessful Thursday.

In a phone interview, Greco who runs a local pet pharmacy, said he hates to see any animal abused.

But Greco noted there already is an abuse ordinance in place that bans cruelty to animals, including elephants.

City-Parish Animal Control Director Hilton Cole said he gets complaints about cruelty to elephants whenever a circus comes to Baton Rouge, and he always checks them out.

“If I see blood or infection or other possible signs of abuse (on the elephants), I’ll charge them in a New York second,” Cole said.

Cole said he’s investigated complaints for the past five circuses that have performed in East Baton Rouge Parish. The only problem that he discovered was with one elephant’s leg ring, which is used to restrain the animals.

“In that case, they corrected the problem with the ring as soon as I pointed it out,” Cole said.

Cole said elephants are extremely dangerous animals because of their size. And he said that some elephants hate their trainers because they use hooks and prods.