On May 11, the Rhode Island legislature introduced new legislation to regarding the use of bull hooks/guides on elephants.  RI H 8197 prohibits the use of bull hooks or similar devices ONLY for elephants in travelling shows.  The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, May 18. 

**May 20 Update**  Several elephant experts testified at the May 18 hearing in opposition to the bill, including representatives from the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation, the Commerford Zoo, and the Roger Williams Park Zoo. The Judiciary Committee did not vote on the bill, but they will decide in the next week or two what (if any) action they will take.  Therefore, letters and emails to the Committee members are still needed.  If you have not done so already, please contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee to oppose H 8197, and urge your friends and family to do the same – especially those who live in Rhode Island.  

In addition to be unnecessary and inconsistent with proper elephant care, because RI H 8197 targets traveling shows, we believe it is unconstitutional as a violation of the Interstate Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution (the Commerce Clause essentially forbids states from acting to inhibit interstate commerce).  In other words, states may not enact regulatory measures designed to benefit in-state economic interests by burdening out-of-state competitors (in this case, travelling shows).  This bill would also prohibit a traveling show from even transiting through the state of Rhode Island with elephants. 

TAKE ACTION! 

As you know, the elephant guide is a widely accepted and humane elephant management tool that is absolutely necessary for people to safely work or interact with elephants in a public setting, whether it is at a fair, in a circus, zoo or any other setting.  Further, proper use of the elephant guide is a crucial component for elephant management in breeding and conservation programs and for providing comprehensive veterinary care.  In short, elephants are better off when they can be cared for in the hands-on manner that this tool allows.   

Please contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee to OPPOSE H 8197.  Contact information for the Committee members and sample talking points are listed below.  Thank you!

House Judiciary Committee – H 8197 

Mailing address for Rhode Island General Assembly:  82 Smith Street, Providence, RI  02903.

Main phone for Judiciary Committee:  (401) 222-2258

Committee Clerk: Roberta Dimezza, rdimezza@rilin.state.ri.us

Committee Members:

Rep. Cale P. Keable (Chairperson)                                            rep-keable@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Doreen Marie Costa (Vice Chair)                                     rep-costa@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Christopher R. Blazejewski (Secretary)                        rep-blazejewski@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Edith H. Ajello                                                                         rep-ajello@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Joseph S. Almeida                                                                 rep-almeida@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Dennis M. Canario                                                                 rep-canario@rilegislature.gov

Rep. David A. Coughlin, Jr.                                                           rep-coughlin@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Robert E. Craven, Sr.                                                            rep-craven@rilegislature.gov

Rep. John G. Edwards                                                                    rep-edwards@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Blake A. Filippi                                                                         rep-filippi@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee                                                          rep-mcentee@rilegislature.gov

Rep. Jeremiah T. O'Grady                                                             rep-ogrady@rilegislature.gov

Sample Talking Points

The following are suggestions for your correspondence in Rhode Island, but please use your own words, and you do not need to include every bullet point.  Please keep all correspondence respectful.

·         Politely tell the Committee members that you are OPPOSED to any measure that would prevent elephant handlers in Rhode Island from using this widely accepted and humane elephant management tool.

·         True animal experts know that a safe and secure environment is the only acceptable and successful method of training any animal, including elephants.  The elephant guide, sometimes called a bull hook or ankus, has been used by elephant handlers for thousands of years.  Elephant handlers in zoos, nature preserves and circuses throughout the world use the guide as an extension of the trainer’s arm along with a voice command.

·         The most successful Asian elephant breeding and conservation programs are free contact management, and that means using guides (bull hooks).  By banning this tool you would limit the ability of most Rhode Island zoos to ever breed elephants successfully.

·         The North American elephant population is not sustainable and this is particularly true for Asian elephants.  Each year fewer zoos have elephants and even fewer have successful breeding programs, due in part from the movement away from free contact management of elephants.

·         The elephant guide is also approved by veterinary and zoological organizations because it enhances the ability of veterinarians and keepers to care for their elephants.

·         If any animal is being mistreated in any environment, then the right answer is to enforce existing laws and regulations to punish bad actors, as opposed to punishing an entire industry and the public who enjoy elephant exhibitions.

·         Legislation that arbitrarily discriminates against only traveling exhibitors is an unconstitutional burden on interstate commerce.