tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post7094378123336474330..comments2024-03-26T22:16:26.572-04:00Comments on Terrierman's Daily Dose: The Humane Society's Jumbo ProblemPBurnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781540805883519064noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-56692928683419768082012-08-14T15:42:07.281-04:002012-08-14T15:42:07.281-04:00what is missing from al of this is the fact that H...what is missing from al of this is the fact that HSUS has infiltrated USDA/APHIS. Please search Sarah Conant and Dr Denise Sofranko. Sofranko actually worked for the Tennessee Elephant sanctuary prior to her position with the USDA however that credential is mysteriously absent from her bio posted by USDA in their newsletter. She is an active supporter of PETA. You can also find MS Sofranko involved in a controversial seizure of 2 elephants from a man named Davenport in Polk County. She helps the sanctuaries acquire elephants by targeting zoos and circuses. There have been many cases of complaints against Sofranko where she claimed abuse but was unable to prove it and her inspection team partners could not support her claims of abuse. She is a sympathizer of the animal rights movement who has spoken at special events at the PAWS sanctuary and is the lead inspector for that sanctuary. Of note recently it has been proven with USDA documents the sanctuary had basically an outbreak of TB in 2011 and 2 elephant deaths where the animals were TB+. Publicly however these deaths were attributed to their "past lives" and arthritis medical reports show they were TB+. Rebecca who died January 2011, according to USDA documents was TB+ upon her death and had been undiagnosed long enough to infect 3 other elephants. Annie was just diagnosed positive this spring but oddly there are no documents on file for public access. PAWS was one of the original plaintiffs in this case. They opted out early with a settlement of $250,000 and 2 elephants. They were the ones who flew Tom Rider in from England at the time, they provided lodging and employed him. Once PAWS left the suit and Mr Rider wished to continue they subsequently "let him go". Its hard to trust what the USDA inspectors are saying about these zoos and circuses considering they have known animal rights activists leading the charge. Conant worked for HSUS prior to her position at USDA...interesting how they are getting hired when its clear they would not be able to maintain an objective unbiased POV while doing their job.Pawsitive Proofhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09954789728199926200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-27432367132454248642012-08-07T16:46:59.371-04:002012-08-07T16:46:59.371-04:00I worked for the circus briefly on the West Coast ...I worked for the circus briefly on the West Coast in the summer of 1971. Gunther Gebel-Williams hired me, and I shovelled elephant **** for a week before I told him I wanted to quit. He looked disappointed. <br /><br />I was between ships in the Merchant Marine at the time, and a friend was a clown in this unit of Ringling Bros, and they were down at the grounds of the Oakland Coloseum, so I hired on. I made $75 that week for more than that many hours (12 hrs a day, 6-7 days a week) at a time when the minimum wage was $1.60. You do the math. Besides the normal tax deductions, there was a couple of bucks to the Teamsters. I was accustomed to the pampering of a good union, the Natl Maritime Union, and this kind of stuck in my craw. So I quit.<br /><br />But I digress. Besides cleaning up after all the elephants in the tent, I also groomed a pair of them before each show. I gave them a command, they got down on their knees, and I climbed up, brushing their skin with a stiff bristled push broom. Once I did their back, I jumped down and gave them another command, at which they stood up. Then I continued with the top-down brushing. They liked it when I did their bellies. Just like a big horse.<br /><br />These elephants had on leg irons, to keep them in place. Other people used bullocks, but I never saw any harsh treatment. I don't deny that circus animals are exploited and sometimes abused, but I never saw anything to write home about.Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06721130066588282491noreply@blogger.com