I agree. Not only should they be treated with respect, but I don't think people really believe the impact we as inhabitants on earth have on the Eco-system.  People, plants, elephants, bees, etc.  We are all united under one roof.  Why are we so careless, so self-centered.  Would these people meat hook their family pet?  Disgusting we are.

Have you ever actually worked with elephants?  You do realize that you are handling an animal that can weigh five or more tons, don't you?  You are not poking a poodle here. 

A bullhook is not sharpened, the tips are blunted.  It is used along with word commands, when necessary, to reinforce their training.  I worked with circus elephants, four of them.   No responsible handler would ever use a bullhook as a weapon against the elephant nor would a responsible handler inflict harm on their charges.  There are already laws on the books which would penalize actual cruelty, whether it involved a bullhook or not.

Unless you have ever had the experience of handling a stubborn, five ton elephant who decides that laying on her neighbor's hay pile is to be her fun act for the day, then tried to verbally convince that self-same stubborn elephant to get to her feet so her neighboring animal can eat while that self-same stubborn animal snickers at you and stays put (Yes, elephants do snicker, they also chuckle, whine, snort, rumble and squeak.), you would not understand that a firm command of "Burma, get off that hay, now!" followed by a gentle prod on the shoulder with a bullhook is much more likely to work than just standing there and repeating a command to rise to the point of exasperation.

When it comes to actual cruelty, i.e. starving animals, deliberately injuring animals, failing to provide adequate food, water, medical care, clean housing, etc. there are laws on the books in every state which protect animals and livestock.

Man is an omnivore.  We raise livestock to feed ourselves and the rest of the world.  While there are certainly unscrupulous farmers and companies that take every opportunity to turn a profit at the expense of properly handling their livestock,  it would be more beneficial to the animals to insist on stricter and more frequent inspections of their facilities rather than insisting on such things as not permitting hog farmers to raise their stock in individual pens indoors or insisting that chicken farmers raise their stock as free-roaming or banning the use of bullhooks.

Quote:

"Man is an omnivore.  We raise livestock to feed ourselves and the rest of the world."

Man can also be an herbivore, so your argument doesn't really provide the foundation that you assume it does, Cynthia. And further, are you claiming that the "is" of the matter ("We raise livestock for....) implies the "ought" ("We ought to be raising livestock for...)? If yes, on what grounds could you have challenged the fact of slavery in the United States? If the fact of a thing implies its "goodness" then you cannot  challenge anything on moral grounds if your argument is derived from abstract principles or examples of what should be. Or is the "is" separate from the "ought," which means that you have to come up with an ethical defense of the fact that animals are killed because we get a passing pleasure from eating their flesh?  

Cynthia, your argument in defence of the practices used during circuses closely parallel those patriarchs whom argued that a firm hand in marriage is necessary given the context of "stubborn" women.

Again, the explicit assumption in this post is that we shouldn't be exploiting these animals for what can only be understood as trivial ends ("I like the circus, so restrict their movement, take them from the wild, "break" them..."), therefore, your rebuttal ("It just is this way so we have to do it; but we do it nicely.") doesn't really go anywhere.

What justifies our enslavement of these animals because we get a passing pleasure from it, Cynthia?

Cynthia, first of all, you can't redefine what a bullhook is. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that perhaps you yourself never used something with a sharp end, but the scars that so many elephants bear and the actual bullhooks themselves, of which there are plenty of photographs and firsthand accounts, tell a story different from yours.

Furthermore, stating that no "responsible" elephant handler would ever engage in a certain behavior is not the same as stating (or showing evidence) that such behavior isn't common. You can say all you want about what "responsible" handling involves and about what laws are already on the books, but if the laws are not obeyed or enforced, the laws are not adequate, and not all handlers are "responsible," the problem remains.

There are elephant handlers and trainers who continue to claim that abuse doesn't happen, but there are others who step forward to tell us it does, often. The current lawsuit against Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey for abusing their elephants did not come out of nowhere: http://www.awionline.org/wildlife/elephants/rbsuit.htm

The Web sites of Born Free USA, the Animal Welfare Insistute, and Circuses.com are full of evidence--firsthand accounts, trainer testimony, and undercover photos and footage--that show the truth. Please see the links on this post: http://animalrights.change.org/blog/view/opening_night_at_the_circus

And finally, Cynthia, you'll find no sympathy from me regarding what effort goes into "handling" a 5 ton "stubborn" animal when the animal doesn't belong in the place where she's being "handled" in the first place. And you know what? Deciding what is to be her fun act of the day *should* be her right.

Cruelty and abusive training and reinforcement techniques are defended because that's the only way to get a 5 ton animal to do something she doesn't want to do. Abuse and coercion and intentionally caused pain and fear so that we can make an animal perform unnatural acts for our entertainment--there's no defense for that.

Elephants don't belong under the control of humans anyway - it's totally unecessary to have these animals, whose intelligence & sentience are a close second to our own - so any argument against bullhooks is a good one.  Not that zoos are an ideal place for elephants either, but I've been to the San Diego Wild Animal park where they have a herd of elephants that were saved from culling.  The handlers & elephants never share the same space - there are always iron bars between them, thus eliminating the danger of injury to either person or animal.

That said, there's no comparing a "refugee" herd to elephants in circusses or other performing situations.  Totally unecessary situation for them to be in.  You see elephants have breakdowns & go on rampages - I'm guessing it's because these animals are aware of their situation & just can't take it anymore - just as if I were kidnapped from my family & forced to perform in a circus my whole life.  I might flip out too.

Cynthia - I understsand if you've personally worked with elephants & been "responsible" toward them, but it bothers me that an elephant can be called "stubborn."  Afterall, who wants to perform in a circus anyway, when hanging out with your friends, talking & doing what *you* want is more fun?  Elephants don't belong in circusses - they belong wherever they want to be.

The people in a position of power (politicians) should not be afraid to stand up for what their constituents want.  My Representative (Shelley Berkley, NV-01) and Senator (John Ensign, D-NV) scored 100s on the HSUS anual report card.  They are there for the votes that matter and those smaller votes that I am glad they find important too. If your representatives don't show up for votes or are known for shirking their duties toward YOU, the one who voted for THEM, write to them, call them, email them, whatever you have to do to make them understand that their district/state is made up of all kinds of people who have all kinds of concerns.  They listen because in the end, they want to be elected again.

It is so sad.  I don't see how people can treat animals like that. It just breaks my heart!

what to expect, its a dumbed down nation and earth day is only celebrated once a year.
and not to mention corporate controlled media.

I think its a poor excuse for the city of chicago to not support an outright ban on such cruelty.  As a person who has seen these majestic beasts in a peaceful and natural habitat, it is very hard for me to see the side of the profit-minded circus owners.  While some handlers may be responsible, the laws that are "on the books" in many states are often not enforced as daily checks are not performed for animal welfare and since many circuses are traveling ones, they are gone before the process to even handle a violation can take place.
Why does "man" feel that they want to be close to the animals but on his own terms and time yet fails to realize his impact on his actions of patronizing such businesses.
Like most businesses, they rely on the ignorance or the inaction of the consumer to educate themselves on the impact of their purchase on the helpless animals they have just paid to see.  As a parent, I, unlike countless others, do not see the need to take my child to a circus where the animals are not in their natural habitat and are made perform tricks that belittle the animals.  
Take your kids to a animal sanctuary - they will learn more and see animals being cared for by people who are not motivated by profit or greed, just compassion.

Elephants belong in the wild with their families.  They do not deserve to be taken away from their families and put in bondage by us for our amusement.

Black men and women deserved to be free with their families.  They never deserved to be put in bondage by us to use as slaves.
 
Two living species.  Two sentient species.  Two emotional species.  Two species with social systems that protect the young, stay with their sisters, aunts and grandmothers for life, and mourn their dead. 

One species was in chains but is now free when they came together as a "fighting" force and would not tolerate this treatment any more. 

The other species remains in chains.  This species cannot fight for themselves as we are superior. And so the other species fights for them.

One day, freedom will ring for this species.  Freedom will ring.

Animal cruelty is here to stay until everyone is educated properly. It is a sad truth. I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, and one of the last places that wildlife is all around. Unfortunately, the reality is that people live here and visit here to hunt, attend and participate in rodeos, and raise animals for food and games.

The politicians in Montana advertise their beliefs and their "traditions" of killing and are elected because they are NRA members as well as ranchers.

Family values in my state are teaching your children to hunt and kill for sport. There is more animal cruelty in Montana than the rest of the country combined, but it is seen as something to be proud of and not seen as cruel. It is rare to find a business in this state that does not have dead animals on the walls, much less a vegetarian place to eat out or even a meal that does not contain meat. (Easier to stay home)

The next generation needs to be educated about cruelty to animals instead of raised on the ancient "traditions" as an excuse... 

I do what I can... but I am only one voice. What keeps me going are people like Stephanie and others from Change.org and the HSUS who give me hope that our voices can help educate and make a difference.

Educate. Set an example. Be the change.

There are other like-minded people out there. Knowing that is comforting. Knowing that I am not alone in this fight is what keeps me going. There will always be the "other side". When you know better...you do better. And then...freedom for all sentient beings.

Do what YOU can. Don't depend on the sociopathic ways of our society. Stop with the excuses...be the change...