ASSOCIATION CIRCUS MEMBERS & ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Animals in Circuses and Exhibitions: Legislative Update by Vanessa Gagne, Government Relations and Communications Consultant W
e have two short months remaining in the 2022 fed- eral legislative session. This should be our final push to stall out the Big Cat Public Safety Act. The travel- ing exotic animal and primate bills have not had any action in months.
In an astonishing show of lack of empathy, Carole Baskin used hurricane Ian as a ploy to get more people to back the Big Cat bill and demonize Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma for holding it back from passing. We should write in and thank him!
An update from California: The rodeo in Alameda County was on the brink of being changed forever. As we all know, the animal rights movement on the West Coast is a force to be reckoned with. They have been after the rodeo in California for quite a long time and are still trying to get most activities banned at the Los Angeles rodeo. Luckily the commissioners in Alameda listened to their citizens and did not go through with the proposed language that would have all but ended their county rodeo. The only activity that will no longer be allowed is ‘Wild Cow Milking’ where a semi-feral cow that has never
From The Center Ring continued from Pg. 29
the historic Ringlingville buildings” and construction of a new “year-round performance center that can host more than 100,000 guests annually.” CWM also an- nounced the discontinuation of performing elephants in its Circus Spectacular following next season. The Museum of Science and Industry Circus
Exhibit that opened in Chicago (IL) in 1973 is disman- tling and auctioning off its 22,000-piece miniature circus exhibit including the Big Top tent, the menagerie and sideshow, and the dining tent. The model was cre- ated in the 1920s by Roland Weber, a railroad worker. And finally, the circus can be a powerful force for positive social action, particularly in war-torn coun- tries. In Afghanistan, for example, the Mini Mobile Children’s Circus in Kabul, disbanded after the Taliban took control of the country, gained govern- mental permission to reorganize in a limited capacity. Recently, dozens of children gathered for a six-day circus festival in juggling and jump rope competi- tions in eight provinces. Separate competitions were held for girls only in Herat where more than 200 girls participated. Today, more than 220 girls and 110 boys are attending limited classes in “social circus, arts, languages and school subjects” in two shifts: boys in the morning and girls in the afternoon. Kudos to founder David Mason, now living in Denmark, for his persistent struggle to bring positive change to Afghan children through circus arts.
30 OABA ShowTime Magazine | NOVEMBER 2022
been milked by people is milked by a team as fast as possible. A new bill in Canada, called the Jane Goodall Act, has been introduced stating: “This enactment amends the Criminal Code to create offences respecting great apes, elephants and certain other non-domesticated animals in captivity, including respect- ing captive breeding. It also amends the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act to require a permit for the import, export or inter- provincial transportation and captive breeding of great apes, elephants and certain other non-domesticated animals.” The bill calls for no non-domesticated animals to be kept in captivity, an end to any and all performances and entertain- ment that would make a profit and constricts breeding opera- tions. As said by critics of the bill, “The legislation is ambiguous of how such decisions would be made and by whom.” This is the crux of the problem. It may not be today, tomorrow, or even next year, but my guess is this type of legislation being intro- duced in the future here in America is a very real possibility since both AZA and USDA have such close ties with HSUS. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Advertisers’ Index NOVEMBER 2022 ADVERTISERS
Berk Paper & Supply .................................23 Cadillac Freight .....................................13 Craftsmen/Schantz................................ OBC Eli Bridge Company...................................7 Fare Foods ..........................................5 Gold Medal.........................................15 Haas & Wilkerson Insurance............................4 JKJ Workforce Agency............................... IBC McGowan/Allied Specialty Insurance................... IFC Norton Auctioneers of Mich. ..........................27 OA Finance LLC .....................................19 Rides 4-U ........................................8, 26
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
