Supporters of Ban on Live Hare Coursing Protest at Leinster House June 2016
by Jamison Maeda
Last week’s defeat in the Dáil by 114 votes to 20 for the banning of live hare coursing will no doubt disappoint many animal rights activists. The support from the general public for the ban is overwhelming. But again, our politicians lag behind public opinion; stuck in a conservative mindset that would stand over a violent and barbarous cruelty because they lack the vision and decency to bring this backward behaviour to an end.
But the campaign must continue for the sake of the defenseless animals that are victim to abuse and cruelty in the name of entertainment. After decades of tireless efforts by animal welfare activists in the U.S., Feld Entertainment, the parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus phased out its live elephant acts and moved their elephants to the Ringling Bros. center for elephants in Florida.
Circus elephants
On May 1, 2016, Ringling Bros. held its final live elephant performance. Feld Entertainment stated that the retirement of the elephant acts was due to increasing animal safety regulations and restrictions in cities where they performed. In addition to legislation protecting animals, Ringling Bros. faced multiple lawsuits regarding its treatment of animals. In 2011 Ringling Bros. was fined by the United States Department of Agriculture for violating the Animal Welfare Act. For this, Ringling Bros. paid $270,000.
Sharp, metal hooks on the end of a pole called bullhooks are used to hit or hook sensitive parts of an elephant to instill fear and bully them into performing tricks. Circuses use grey powder to cover up wounds made by bullhooks. Numerous cities have banned the use of bullhooks citing animal cruelty, forcing circuses to cross that city off of their tour. Minneapolis, Minnesota was one of the American cities to ban bullhooks, preventing elephant acts from performing there.
“For too long, elephants in traveling shows have suffered trauma and abuse from handlers wielding the sharp end of a bullhook” says Christine Coughlin, Minnesota state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “Today Minneapolis joined nearly 50 other American cities that have passed laws protecting captive elephants. Bullhooks are cruel, and the public is clearly no longer willing to tolerate abuse or mistreatment of elephants, whether it happens in sight or behind the scenes.”
In 2007, Clare Daly initiated a successful ban of wild animals in circuses on County Council lands in Fingal. And recently, a motion was passed by South Dublin County Council that will ban all performance animals in circuses using council land. Within the last few years, countries such as Greece, Cyprus, and Bosnia and Herzegovina have banned animals in circuses. And dozens of other countries have similar bans on a national or regional level.
This is a victory in the fight for animal rights. But our work is not done. Ringling Bros.’s elephants are not going to an elephant sanctuary, but to a for profit breeding center that still uses shackles and bullhooks. And animals such as large cats and camels are still part of their circus performances. We need to continue to raise awareness about animal cruelty and push our elected officials to create more legislating protecting animals. And we need to preserve our natural environment so that animals are able to live in their own natural habitats. Our continued efforts will surely make poaching, hare coursing, and animal cruelty a thing of the past.