Carson & Barnes

Circus is coming to town, and not everybody is happy about it
Circus is coming to town, and not everybody is happy about it
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Story Published: Jun 5, 2008 at 5:47 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jun 5, 2008 at 7:38 PM EDT
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Video on a PETA website shows elephants which the group says are mistreated by trainers. And days before the Carson and Barnes Circus comes to town, a representative for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has written to the Erie County Legislature.

"We are writing to ask you to enact legislation that would ban bullhooks, electric prods, and other devices that would inflict pain or cause injury to elephants.," said the letter. 7 News spoke to Carson and Barnes about the video.

"The language is terrible it is hugely inappropriate. However what you are not viewing is somebody beating elephants," said Animal Behaviorist and Carson and Barnes representative Ben Trumble.

Trumble says the USDA viewed the tape, and did not come back with a finding of animal cruelty. The company adds it does not use electric prods, and that the Bullhook is mischaracterized, that it is nothing more than a short guiding stick

"It has two dull points on it they are a quarter of an inch long. It is like a pressure point," said Trumble.

But PETA sees its differently adding in the letter, "The use of bullhooks results in pain, suffering, and trauma, including laceration, puncture wounds, and abscesses."

The legislature's chairwoman says there is no time to get the law enacted before the circus arrives

"We will put it the public record so it could be part of a local record, but no, we have a whole process of letting in a local law..." said Chairwoman Marinelli.

The circus will beat the Hamburg fairgrounds next Wednesday and Thursday.