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Bullhook Ban Passed in Oakland!

Bullhook Ban Passed in Oakland!

After hours of heated debate and testimony, the Oakland City Council passed an ordinance banning bullhooks and similar devices on circus elephants. It was a full house with over 180 in attendance, including animal rights activists, circus cronies, and union representatives, whose testimonies were disrupted by anti-police demonstrators threatening to storm the meeting.

Despite the added drama, Oakland City Council voted in favor of the bullhook ban, following the same stipulations as the Los Angeles ban. Both bans go into effect in September of 2017, which means Oakland won’t see bullhooks starting in 2018 since the Ringling Brothers Circus traditionally comes to town in August.

The following statement was made on behalf of IDA’s Elephant and Cetacean Scientist Dr. Toni Frohoff, who has a doctorate in Wildlife Behavioral Biology specializing in how stress affects the behavior of wild animals, “Everything in my thirty years of scientific research compels me to urge you to support the ban on bullhooks in Oakland. Harsh and stressful treatment such as bullhooks can result in hyper-aggression, panic, and rage in elephants. Such physically and psychologically traumatic agents as bullhooks have clearly proven to be an utter failure in ensuring public safety from elephants.”

IDA’s Founder and President Emeritus Dr. Elliot Katz stole the show with his final oration condemning professional veterinarians and others who sold out to the multi-billion dollar Feld Entertainment, Ringling’s parent company, “I’ve heard quite a few pimps here tonight.” Katz also noted that Ringling employees showed a bullhook training device instead of the actual bullhook used to hit and torture elephants of all ages, demonstrating that employee testimonies were riddled with “lies and deception.”

Ringling employees opposed the ban claiming financial hardship, which greatly concerned council members, but who voted against the ban anyway. Next week, the Council will vote again as dictated by their process, but the official vote has been cast. We can celebrate this victory for elephants since Ringling can’t exert their control without using bullhooks!

For a detailed account of the Oakland City Council Meeting, please click here.

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