Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act of 1999
(Introduced in House)
HR 2929 IH
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2929
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit certain conduct relating to
elephants.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 23, 1999
Mr. FARR of California (for himself, Ms. PELOSI, Mr.
LIPINSKI, Mr. STARK, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr.
YOUNG of Florida, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. WEINER, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. MORAN of Virginia,
Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. HALL of Ohio, and Mr. TANCREDO)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
ADDITIONAL SPONSORS: Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. PAYNE,
and Mr. CONDIT. Mr. HOLT and Ms. MCKINNEY. Mrs. LOWEY, Mr.
EVANS, and Mr. COSTELLO. : Mr. CONYERS, Ms. LEE, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina,
Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. RAHALL, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. MARTINEZ, Mr. KUCINICH, Ms.
SCHAKOWSKY, and Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. SANDERS, and Ms. Lofgren
Mr. MEEHAN. By Ms. DUNN:
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit certain conduct relating to
elephants.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Captive Elephant Accident
Prevention Act of 1999'.
SEC. 2. ELEPHANT SHOWS AND RIDES.
(a) IN GENERAL- Chapter 89 of title 18, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
`Sec. 1822. Elephant shows and rides
`(a) Whoever, in or affecting interstate or foreign
commerce, knowingly makes available any elephant for--
`(1) use in a travelling show or circus; or
`(2) the purpose of allowing individuals to ride that
elephant;
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than
1 year, or both. In the case of a conviction of a person who has previously
been convicted for another offense under this section, the offender shall be
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.
`(b) In this section, the term `travelling show or
circus' means a show or circus that spends most of its working time each year
away from its permanent facility.'.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 89 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following new item:
`1822. Elephant shows and rides.'.
HON. SAM FARR
OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1999
- Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today I am
introducing the Captive Elephant Accident Prevention Act to make circuses
more humane for the animals and safer for the spectators. I would like to
make it clear that I am not interested in seeing the circus industry unduly
hindered or encumbered. My bill is a practical, reasonable one that
addresses a fundamental wrong in the entertainment industry.
- When an elephant rampages it can injure and kill
spectators, not to mention damage property. There is simply no stopping a
rampaging elephant until the animal is dead, a tragedy which is obviously a
symptom of a larger problem. Because of circuses and elephant rides, we've
grown accustomed to seeing elephants perform tricks or being ridden as if
they are domesticated animals such as horses. But these are not domesticated
creatures. Elephants are wild animals--animals for whom all the coaxing in
the world will not encourage them to let you ride on their backs, or get
them to stand on their heads, rear up on their hind legs, walk a balance
beam, or any of the other unnatural stunts they perform in circuses.
- To get a 5 ton, 10 foot tall animal to perform these
stressful, often painful stunts 2 or 3 shows per day, animal trainers use
fear and torture. In his arsenal, the elephant trainer has devices such as
high-powered electric prods, ancuses, bull hooks (long sharpened metal hook
at the end of a handle), and Martingales (heavy chains binding an elephant's
tusks to his front feet). To get these giant, willful, wild animals to
behave like trained dogs, elephants are brutalized. It is therefore
understandable that when they get the chance, they kill people.
- Since 1983, at least 28 people have been killed by
captive elephants performing in circuses and elephant ride exhibits. More
than 70 others have been seriously injured, including at least 50 members of
the general public who were spectators at circuses and other elephant
exhibits. In fact, 9 states have banned elephants from close contact with
the public. This includes giving rides or even photo ops, because of the
danger of rampages.
- Why do we continue to use taxpayer dollars to murder
endangered species in the middle of our major metropolitan areas when we
could simply address the problem by removing elephants from these tragedies
waiting to happen.
- My bill proposes to exclude elephants from traveling
shows and to eliminate elephant rides, not to close down circuses. I ask my
colleagues to join me as a cosponsor on the Captive Elephant Accident
Prevention Act. I also want to thank game show host Bob Barker for coming to
Washington, D.C. to support this bill H.R.
2929 .
-
Bob Barker's Letter:
BOB BARKER'S TESTIMONY ON THE TREATMENT OF
CIRCUS ELEPHANTS
The host of 'The Price is Right'
has been asking us to get our pets spayed and neutered for years. Click here to
see what this animal rights activist wants us to do with our circus elephants.
I should like to thank the members
of this sub-committee on behalf of the thousands of dedicated people across the
country who have been working for years to save captive elephants from the
horrors of the circus and to protect unsuspecting humans from being injured or
even killed by these frustrated long suffering beasts. Your willingness to
consider HR 2929 is noted and deeply appreciated by all of us who seek passage
of this very important bill.
It has been suggested that I
present a film today that graphically depicts the danger to human life when
elephants that have been subjected to deprivation and cruelty for countless
miserable years finally reach the breaking point. But, before we view this
impressive film, allow me to point out that even if a circus had the best of
intentions, authorities on elephant behavior charge that it is impossible for a
circus to provide an acceptable existence for elephants.
According to experts, elephants
have three basic needs. One is food. Elephants eat live vegetation. In their
natural habitat elephants graze up to 20 hours a day. A circus keeps an elephant
in chains 90% of the time.
A second basic need for
elephants is extensive social relationships. In the wild they form intricate
lifelong relationships. In a circus families and compatible individual elephants
are separated without hesitation or consideration for the psychological effect
on the elephants involved.
And a third basic need for
elephants is freedom of movement. In the wild elephants walk 25 to 50 miles a
day. In a circus an elephant is reduced to a life in chains or confined to
cramped quarters. Is it any wonder that these tragic captive
elephants...deprived of any semblance of the life intended for them by nature
...mercilessly beaten, some of them daily, to force them to perform ridiculous
tricks....robbed of every shred of dignity... Is it any wonder that these
magnificent highly intelligent creatures finally rebel?
And when they do, they pose an
alarming threat to human life... as you shall see in this film.
(FILM)
As you have just seen...when a
circus, featuring captive elephants, comes to town it is a tragedy waiting to
happen.
For the sake of adults and
children whose lives are endangered by circuses exploiting captive elephants,
please add your support to HR 2929.