By Staff and Wire Reports
Posted Jul. 21, 2016 at 10:13 AM
Updated Jul 21, 2016 at 1:32 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island has become the first state to ban the use of bullhooks to train elephants.

Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo on Wednesday signed legislation passed by the General Assembly that bans the hooks in circuses and traveling shows.

Dozens of cities previously banned the use of bullhooks, but the Humane Society of the United States says Rhode Island is the first state to do so.

Animal welfare advocates have pushed such measures, saying the hooks can cause trauma and injury to elephants.

Circuses including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus have stopped using elephants in their shows. But several other circuses still use them.

The new law does not apply to Roger Williams Park Zoo, which uses bull hooks as "part of our regular practice," according to a spokeswoman, who added that the zoo calls the devices "guides."

The zoo's executive director, Dr. Jeremy Goodman, said that the device does not hurt the elephants. "We love our animals, and we would never want any harm for them," Goodman told The Providence Journal on Thursday. "We use it every day ... right in front of the public, and we would never harm our animals with it."

Goodman said the ban on bullhooks — and even the use of that term — is part of a strategy by animal rights groups to bring an end to elephants in captivity. Without the device, zookeepers and other animal handlers would not be able to manage elephants and they could not be kept in captivity, he said.

The measure takes effect in January.