Help me urge Cumberland County and the city of Fayetteville, NC to ban circuses, rodeos and other exhibits that use animals for entertainment.
We the undersigned,
On behalf of myself and other concerned citizens, I ask that you institute an ordinance prohibiting the display of wild animals in our community. Such legislation will serve the interests of public safety, efficient use of taxpayer funds, and the humane treatment of animals.
Exotic animals used in traveling shows live miserable lives. Treated as nothing more than equipment, animals are packed and unpacked in an endless string of exhibitions. Forced to endure large and often boisterous crowds, the animals live in a perpetual state of discomfort, frustration, and fear. Focused on the running of the display (and making money), the animal handler often neglects the most basic needs of the animals, including rest, food, water and veterinary care. Many of the animals that are denied medical care have communicable diseases that can be spread to humans. These conditions can and do lead to tragedy for both the animals and the public.
In one widely publicized incident, an elephant named Tyke rampaged in Honolulu, killing her trainer and injuring more than a dozen spectators before police killed her. Many lawsuits were filed against the circus, the police department, and the city of Honolulu. A tiger cub belonging to Safari Zoological Park, a zoo that hauls animals around to schools, festivals, and store promotions, bit the throat of a 5-year-old child in Kansas. The tiger was killed the next day. A chimpanzee fiercely bit a girl on the hand after posing for a photograph at a Blockbuster store in Tennessee. The girls parents filed a $50,000 lawsuit. The liability risks to Fayetteville and Cumberland County are real.
Please take a stand and set an example for other communities that Cumberland County will NOT tolerate animal cruelty.
Thank you for your time and action.
