http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090201/ap_on_...ing_s_elephants

A Good Article from a legal web site

Ringling Bros. Elephant Trial Promises to Be a Circus

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202427940908

http://www.bornfreeusa.org/a1a6f_blog_item...&more=1&cat=467

Follow the trial.

(I apologize in advance if this is the 10th, or so, posting of this)

That was really helpful. Many thanks for posting that.

Activists: No Circus Joy for Elephants

They are the five-ton stuff of childhood delight: Asian elephants that prance and turn and hoist their way beneath the fabled big top. Yet, it is what animal rights activists say happens behind the scenes, far from the squealing cheers of fans, that may chase pachyderms from the circus forever....

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6798230&page=1

Arguments Begin On Elephant Care

....One of the first witnesses was Joyce Poole, who has a doctorate in animal behavior from the University of Cambridge. She testified that elephants are extremely social and have an understanding of death and pain. She said she once saw an elephant knock rocks out of its path to avoid stepping on them because of pain in its feet. The defense tried to discredit her, saying her expertise was more aligned with African elephants and not Asian elephants, but the judge allowed her to testify....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...d=moreheadlines

Reckoning at Ringling Bros.

....For world renowned elephant expert Dr. Joyce Poole, who was the first expert witness of the trial and has studied elephants her entire life, watching Ringling's handlers was a little like watching Nazi's conduct the Holocaust. "This is America," she pleaded with the federal judge. "These animals should not be chained 20 hours a day, beaten with bull hooks and forced to perform these un-natural acts. They are extremely intelligent creatures, they mourn their dead, they use tools, they help their friends up when they are ill, they are extremely social." At one point, while watching Feld Entertainment video of an Asian elephant "Shirley" giving birth, (Shirley's named after Kenneth Feld's aunt who raise him after his mother committed suicide) Dr. Poole choked up....


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-griff...o_b_164113.html

Great column.

Does anyone know who from the zoo industry is going to testify on Ringling's behalf?

Article from a UK news site:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8342908
2 mistakes in the article - for "distinction" read "extinction", and for "800-pound" read "8,000-pound".

Transcript of Wed 4th February - Reuters:
http://rtv.rtrlondon.co.uk/2009-02-04/d6076cb.html

Blogging stopped by judge: http://www.hsus.org/in_the_courts/news_pre..._courtroom.html

Geez...
is there anyone out there blogging who is NOT a witness?

Another blog...

http://www.sfbg.com/blogs/politics/2009/02...light_duri.html

Thanks for posting JP ...

Ringling animal abuse trial continues

Also expected to testify this week as an expert witness for the plaintiffs (who hope to wrap their case up by the end of the week) is Colleen Kinzley, general curator of the Oakland Zoo. The trial is expected to wrap up by the first week in March, with a verdict that could severely restrict the circus's use of elephants.

http://www.sfbg.com/blogs/politics/2009/02...e_trial_co.html

Here is a site with more info on the trial. Carol Buckley is testifying today.

http://www.eswr.com/ringling/

Thanks, that's a great blog. The standing issue is interesting (meaning who has the right to sue). Standing has been narrowed quite a bit the last number of years, typically as a way to avoid suits by environmental groups seeking to halt development.

Very interesting to see what happens. Assuredly there will be an appeal regardless.

The plaintiffs have finished and the defense starts today at noon. The writer of the blog (link posted in previous post above) has posted alot (if not all) of the exhibits.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...vp8EvQD96MST600

I wish the plaintiff attorneys could use a bullhook on Feld so he could speak with personal experience about being struck but not hurt by a bullhook.

Exactly Janet. Everyone who claims that the bullhook doesn't hurt should be forced to endure the same pressure and frequency of bullhook use on them that is used on the elephants.


Vik Dewan, director of the Philly Zoo, thinks he is knowledgeable enough about bullhooks to justify their use to reporters. He actually tapped a reporter with one to prove that it didn't hurt. Unfortunately the reporter fell for it. Any fool could figure out that if the bullhook is being used hard enough to DRAW BLOOD it's more than a tap. Until these bullhook apologists are hit hard enough to draw blood, they should shut up about how it is "not painful."

Seems like the Plaintiffs were able to score some points on cross. If in fact the bullhook and chains are necessary, then they shouldn't have the elephants in the first place.

BTW, if Ringling wins, I hope another group immediately sues them again.

The same article as that posted by NoDoMes on 3rd March, but with a video by CBS News:

http://www.elephants.com/newsStory.php?newsID=1144

Thanks for posting s4e ...

The Ringling Trial blog writer updated their site (although not the blog) with all of the exhibits that Feld is presenting to the court this week. The left side of the page has been updated as of yesterday.



http://www.eswr.com/ringling/

Elephant Advocates Press Case In Court

A federal trial under way in Washington, D.C. could affect the way 300 or more captive Asian elephants are treated in the U.S. There's an emotional debate about how best to handle the huge beasts.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...636&ft=1&f=1003