Alderman Proposes Ban on Cruelty Toward Elephants

By Margaret Lyons in News on Mar 17, 2008 7:33PM

Alderman Mary Ann Smith is pushing for a city ordinance that would ban cruelty towards elephants. She came up with the idea last year after three elephants died at the Lincoln Park Zoo, but now it's an issue again because the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is planning its November run at the United Center.

From the Sun-Times:

The revised ordinance that Smith introduced last week would prohibit circuses and other exhibitors from using devices that "inflict pain, cause or are likely to cause injury to an elephant," such as an "ankus, bull hook or similar device."

Chains and "similar restraining devices" could be used only to provide medical treatment. Violators would be punished by fines as high as $5,000 and up to six months in jail for every day that violation continues

A spokesman for the circus says the devices are like leashes for dogs or reins on horses, but PETA says those devices puncture the elephant's skin and are inhumane. Smith says that "cruelty begets cruelty," and that that's reason enough for Chicagoans and aldermen to care. [S-T]

Baby elephant by Babasteve