Date: 9/11/2015
Every year I look forward to the Big E.
The food, parades, 4-H exhibits, the amusement rides, music, tractors/autos, the state buildings, crafts and gifts galore!
What I don’t look forward to is the petting zoo and the elephant rides and exhibit.
What we once saw as “entertainment” is now seen for what is really is, exploiting a magnificent creature for our enjoyment.
Elephants are wonderful social creatures. In the wild, they live and travel in large, social, family groups, rearing young and wandering great distances in search of food. Confining these great animals and trucking them around from fair to fair is stressful in the least and I would argue cruel treatment.
Two examples also demonstrate this practice can be dangerous both for the animal and the public.
1992, PALM BEACH, FL – An elephant with the Great American Circus rampaged and charged the midway in the circus tent while giving rides. A woman and four children who were taking a ride were rescued but the elephant hit a police officer, using her trunk to throw him twice to ground. The elephant was shot and killed by police. Twelve people were injured during the panic, but none seriously
2006, MARLBOROUGH, MA – Two zoo workers suffered injuries while handling an elephant for rides at RW Commerford’s Kids Fun Fair and Traveling Zoo. A trainer received a chest injury when the elephant pinned him against a wall and another employee placing children on the elephant for rides received a broken arm. Both were transported to hospital by ambulance.
Last year, when the subject of removing the elephant from the fair was brought up, Mr. Cassidy stated, “As long as Gene Cassidy is president of the Big E, young people – and old people – will have the opportunity to see these animals.”
Well, perhaps it’s time for Mr. Cassidy to step down from his position and the board find a new president, one who will remove this cruel exhibit from the fair. Let’s remember this is the same man who banned Teddy Bear Pools from the fair until protests caused him to reverse his decision.
I will not be attending the Big E this year or for that matter, any year, until this petting zoo and the elephant are no long a part of the event. I suggest others do the same.
The petting zoo is a small, unfortunate, part of what otherwise is a wonderful Big E.
Perhaps I can look forward to the Big E next year. A Big E with no elephant.
Steve O’Neil
Springfield
