Sault Ste. Marie draws the attention of PETA
Friday, November 02, 2012 by: Donna Hopper
On Monday, October 22, Sault Ste. Marie City Council accepted as an information item, a report which detailed the local prohibition of traveling exotic animal performances and shows, including circuses.
Ward Two City Councillor Terry Sheehan forwarded a resolution to Council in May of this year requesting the report.
It would appear that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has picked up the Sault's story and included it as an Action Alert on the official PETA website.
The PETA Action Alert reads: "Exotic and wild animals who are forced to perform in traveling acts are denied everything that is natural and important to them. Their lives consist of being confined to boxcars, trailers, or trucks for days at a time, often without adequate food, water, or veterinary care. Tigers and lions are shoved into cages that are barely large enough for them to turn around in, and elephants are kept in chains for up to 100 hours at a time."
PETA claims that undercover footage depicts animal trainers using unethical techniques involving electric prods, bullhooks, and blowtorches.
The organization is encouraging concerned citizens to contact City Councillors and urge them to prohibit traveling animal acts in Sault Ste. Marie.
The issue will be up for debate at the upcoming November 5 City Council meeting.
SportzMum 11/2/2012 3:39:06 PM ReportHey City Councilors - It's okay to Just say NO!! Animals should not be treated that way, that wasn't their designed fate.
OMGWTF 11/2/2012 3:42:01 PM ReportWe can watch the zoo in Ottawa. we don't need travelling ones here.
N1T5 101 11/2/2012 3:44:39 PM ReportHAHA!!!! Good one OMGWTF LOL
JustMe1234567 11/2/2012 3:52:03 PM ReportYa I think it's a traveling prison for those poor animals. The kids have the internet, if they want to see an exotic animal, show them one online. As for PETA, well they are just jumping on anything that promotes their cause.
Meow 11/2/2012 4:16:21 PM ReportWay to go Council I am so proud of my City! Debbie and the rest do the right thing!
PunkBob 11/2/2012 4:27:13 PM Report*facepalm*
HeyImOnnaBus 11/2/2012 4:33:19 PM ReportYears ago for nostalgia's sake I took my nephew to a circus when it was in town. I left the show dissapointed. I figure now that nostalgia is nothing more than a rasp that wears away the "rough" edges of one's memories. Seeing it as an adult, I felt sorry for the bears being prodded to ride modified mini-bikes, not to mention seeing the elephants with shackled feet. It's no wonder that these giants sometimes suffer a mental breakdown and go on a rampage.
I agree with other posters here that City Council should step up to the plate and just say "no" to the Soo hosting animal acts. The Soo can attract better class entertainment as an alternative to this outdated concept.
Pictureman 11/2/2012 4:34:15 PM ReportThere is another Zoo in Toronto that we can watch. Oh, wait a minute, the "Ring master" has opened all the cages and let the animals out while the search is on for a new "ringmaster". Shane on McGinty for putting the Liberal party interests ahead of the people's interest. His lame excuse that nothing was getting dome at Queens Park and the legislature was at loggerheads heaps even more shame on the elected people who can't get along for the best interest of the people who, not only voted them in, but PAY THEIR SALARIES.
TankGirl 11/2/2012 4:36:23 PM ReportThere are local petting zoos right here in the Sault. Support local, support proper treatment of animals.
dupuism09 11/2/2012 5:23:57 PM ReportOh PETA...Animals are still going to be in cages whether they come to the Sault or not. Hey! let them come to the Sault, just means that they get out of the cage for a little bit longer
the coach 11/2/2012 5:25:51 PM ReportGo to a city council meeting and watch that circus. Too many clowns though.
riverman 11/2/2012 5:37:28 PM ReportDupuis...
If enough cities and towns refuse to support travelling animal acts those production companies will be forced out of business and the cruelty will stop. Your attitude that "it's going to happen anyway" is defeatist. If that sort of reasoning were adopted by the rest of us, can you imagine the state this world would be in regarding issues like human rights and equality?
steelworker 11/2/2012 5:56:00 PM ReportMaybe Pamela Anderson can come to town and give us a spanking 'cause we been bad. Lol
PunkBob 11/2/2012 6:47:07 PM ReportWhy not work on reforming the way these traveling acts keep and treat their animals. Rather then shutting them down? Education on proper feeding and routines for healthy animals? Scheduled inspections and the like. So kids can enjoy seeing animals we don't have the oppertuinty to see in our part of the world. If you force them to close their doors the animals will be killed and disposed of. When they no longer able to sell to circuses the people who get these animals will turn to other means to make money from them. Peta is quite possibly the worst thing to happen to animals since humans learned to hunt and kill. They use shock tactics to try to force others into their narrow point of view of the world. Yes some people take advantage of animals, there are a heck of a lot more who take care of their animals be it on a farm in a circus or other. Love them like a part of their family. Someone should watch some video on peta and their slanted world views.
Go throw some more paint at people wearing fur you giant wastes of human skin.
riverman 11/2/2012 7:48:40 PM ReportPunkBob:
If you want your children to see animals that are not indigenous to this part of the world there are far more humane places to take them besides a circus where the animlas are kept in captavity in small cages, transported in trucks and trained to perform unnatural feats for the pleasure of curious humans and the profit of often less-than-humane carnival owners. I would respectfully suggest taking your kids to a zoo where they can enjoy visiting the animals in at least a replication of their natural environment and where education is promoted instead of spectacle. Also, my respect for your opinion was not at all enhanced by your "giant waste of human skin" insult regarding PETA.
old-cat33 11/2/2012 7:55:17 PM ReportRight on Sault Ste Marie. Leave the animals where they belong in their natural habitat.
Bad Dawg 11/2/2012 10:08:29 PM Reportput them on my dinner plate. rack of lion or tiger mmmmm yummmy
thera 11/2/2012 10:20:39 PM ReportIt is definitely a fine line, I love animals now and look out for their welfare because I was exposed to them as a child (from the circus) and loved them at first sight!! People/children can see them and want to grow up and be a vet or at least a pet owner and give a homeless animal a home! Of course, for exotic animals, this is no life - tigers, lions, elephants should be in the wild, not parading around for our amusement. There at least should be some strict rules in place to ensure animal health and safety!!!!
moem 11/2/2012 10:33:06 PM ReportWhen sootoday first wrote the article about the proposed by law countless people complained it was a stupid waste of time, now they run the PETA article and people by and large support it.... Weird
PunkBob 11/3/2012 12:14:02 AM ReportHave you ever looked into the stunts and ethics of peta? No you just assume they are good people trying to do the right thing for animals. A lot of their polocies and actions negativly affect not only humans but also animals. Peta is a sham of an organization do some research.....and as far as bringing my kids to a zoo, I would love to, however our local "zoo" is not very exotic now is it. I've taken my friends kid to a zoo in southern ontario, but to take a trip just to see certain animals is costly for most people. Almost everyone was exposed to these animals in traveling shows. It seems rather then the treatment of animals people just want another thing to complain about. If they put up guidlines, inspected the animals weekly while on tour there would be no problems. Why not fix the problem instead of taking away that wonder and curiousity that is slowly being taken away from children now a days. peta dog euthanization google it, read and ask yourself what peta is really about, multi million dollar corporation with lots of power. The spca has spoken out many time about peta.
goldenvehicle 11/3/2012 1:42:02 AM ReportGreat another national group of professional bitching winers.
i thought we already payed police to take care of people who bring harm to animals ...
thomas 11/3/2012 6:23:06 AM ReportDid any of you click on the link "action alert", provided in this story? It is a sickening photo of a baby elephant being mistreated, prepped for being a future performer in a circus. So who cares? I sure do, and if you don't, you have no heart. This is what those animals go through. That baby elephant should be out in the wild with his mother, not living in captivity performing silly, un-natural acts for human entertainment.
I hope the Sault refuses these circuses, and that all other Canadian cities follow suit. Yes, the animals that are in these circuses might be euthanized if all cities boycot circuses, but it is less cruel than living a life in a cage, and only being let out to perform against their wills.
Boycotting circuses will help stop further capture and cruelty of other wild animals. Going to circuses that force these WILD animals to perform is only lining the pockets of all involved, right down the line to the lowly poachers and breeders who capture or breed these poor animals into captivity in the first place.
ShawnM 11/3/2012 6:50:46 AM ReportPETA is the last organization I would want to see our city attached to. We should be running in the other direction as PETA is not a model organization for animal rights. For all those PETA lovers above, I would give Pen and Teller a watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inFtOMx8nDU I am sure you won't be supporting them by the time they get to the walk in freezer...
But there are better ways that things could be handled when it comes to the circus coming to town. Since its using most of the time an arena like the essar center, when they book the circus they could look into the record of the circus and if they are known to abuse animals then yes don't let them here, but if they have a good record then let them come and let the people decide if they want to go see it.
You can't just say every circus is an abuser of animals, that's just like saying every blond is dumb. The problem is a few make it bad for everyone. The best thing city counsel could do is set some standards instead of deny it. Even if they put an exemption in for the RCMP horses they leave themselves open for legal recourse and more wasted tax payers dollars, so lets just bypass that, put some standards in place, and lets move on.
sisii 11/3/2012 8:24:04 AM ReportPeta is not to be trusted. They are masters of sensationalism to gain financially and just by posting this is giving them the free advertising. They do more harm than good. Anyone that uses animals as a way of making an income goes to great lengths to ensure the animals safety and health. Tell Peta to go back to England and leave us alone, we have enough regulations in this country as it is.
riverman 11/3/2012 8:25:56 AM ReportPunkBob suggests that because people can't afford to take their kids out of town to a zoo it legitimizes the maltreatment of exotic animals by travelling circuses. I disagree. Children will grow up just fine without seeing an elephant in a cage standing on a barrel and rearing up on its hind legs. No one NEEDS to see that.
As far as PETA goes, I am not a supporter of that organization per se (I eat meat and wear leather, so to claim otherwise would be hypocritical), however I appreciate their core message. Some of you suggest that I ought not paint all travelling animal acts with the same brush; that there are circuses that do not mistreat the trained exotics they use in their shows. The same request could be made of those of you who choose to ignore the good work that PETA has done in defence of animals.
Even if you take PETA out of the equation and go back to what Councillor Sheehan had proposed even before PETA's name came into the discussion, I believe the local prohibition of traveling exotic animal performances and shows is the humane decision.
My reaction to PETA members being referred to as "huge wastes of human skin" by PunkBob had nothing to do with my feelings about PETA but everything to do with my belief that we should be able to share our differing opinions without resorting to using cruel insults.
vipersmum 11/3/2012 9:59:59 AM Reportthank goodnes for riverman and the voice of reason.
it is true, the first time this story ran there were alot of really dumb pro circus comments. really dumb i say because they were not backed up by anything but condesending remarks.
as for peta...alot of crap gets put on their backs that has nothing to do with them. and some of their members are very outspoken and extreme but that does not speak for the whole organization. because their methods are so extreme they have been able to shed light on things that would never be exposed - all their undercover investigations! and their stunts are way over the top but they get attention and bring attention to the issue.
i hope all of you who are speaking out for the animals also email your city council and let them know how you feel.
as for any circus that can give good animal care...well, it goes against the social structure of those animals it can never be done = not with elephants and tigers and bears they do not behave the way a circus needs them to. besides as we all know anything that is for profit is not for anything except profit (marineland for one)
frnlak 11/3/2012 12:00:58 PM ReportSteelworker.... Can retirees get in line to be spanked by Pammy ? Can we spank her back ? Can I be first in line ? I can hardly wait !!!
bml69 11/3/2012 12:29:23 PM ReportThank you riverman for putting my thoughts on paper in such a clear and concise way. Say no to the Circus.
Bad Dawg 11/3/2012 12:48:57 PM Reportthe people that support PETA are blind and deaf. animals don't belong in cages...... but I bet most of them have those little, yappy, rodent looking, effin dogs that they keep in their purse trapped in their black BMWs.... if they spent the money into the safety of animals instead of attack ads the animals would be better off, but they don't just spead their hate propaganda, I for one am sick of these celebrities trying to tell me what's right..... STFU and go back to detox!!!
moem 11/3/2012 12:57:06 PM ReportI support PETA.... People for the Eating of Tastey Animals!!!!
thomas 11/3/2012 4:02:07 PM ReportWell said, riverman. Exactly!
IceBlueEyes7127 11/4/2012 2:13:32 AM Report@ steelworker's post - lmao, u wish Pammy would come here n spank you bad boy!! and @ justme1234567 Amen to that, nicely said.
IceBlueEyes7127 11/4/2012 2:16:38 AM Reportoh.. and @ moem's comment.. pff ur a d**khead :)
GotRotties 11/4/2012 10:26:48 AM ReportTOMORROW!! November 5th 2012...
At its November 5 meeting, the Sault Ste. Marie City Council in Ontario will debate whether exotic- and wild-animal acts should be banned in the city. Councillor Terry Sheehan plans to describe how circuses and other traveling shows abuse exotic animals in order to force them to perform. He will also explain that allowing the public to have such close contact with large, dangerous animals puts people at risk. Exotic and wild animals who are forced to perform in traveling acts are denied everything that is natural and important to them. Their lives consist of being confined to boxcars, trailers, or trucks for days at a time, often without adequate food, water, or veterinary care. Tigers and lions are shoved into cages that are barely large enough for them to
turn around in, and elephants are kept in chains for up to 100 hours at a time.
Undercover video footage of training sessions has shown that elephants are beaten with bullhooks (rods that resemble a fireplace poker with a sharp steel hook at one end) and shocked with electric prods and that big cats are dragged by heavy chains around their necks and hit with sticks. Trainers with Carson & Barnes Circus have even been documented using blowtorches on elephants.
But cities around the world, including dozens of Canadian municipalities, have banned or are in the process of banning traveling animal acts.
Please e-mail the Sault Ste. Marie councillors and urge them to keep cruel traveling animal acts out of the city. If you have ties to Ontario, or especially to Sault Ste. Marie, please be sure to recognize that in your correspondence.
Please send polite comments to:
The Honourable Debbie Amaroso
Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie
r.wysynski@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Steve Butland
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
s.butland@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Paul Christian
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
p.christian@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Terry Sheehan
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
t.sheehan@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Brian Watkins
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
b.watkins@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Rick Niroa
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
r.niro@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Lou Turco
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
l.turco@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Marchy Bruni
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
m.bruni@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Frank Fata
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
f.fata@cityssm.on.ca
The Honourable Joe Krmpotich
Councillor
Sault Ste. Marie City Council
j.krmpotich@cityssm.on.ca
moem 11/4/2012 12:01:09 PM ReportOh sorry iceblueeyes, you must be a vegetarian sorry to have offended you, PETA is a hypocritical organization, and I was making a joke it's not like I'm advocating to eat puppies and kittens
