Here's what the experts had to say

Winnie Kiiru is a Kenyan-born wildlife ecologist who is currently studying for her doctorate in biodiversity management at the University of Kent in Canterbury, United Kingdom, where her fieldwork focuses on developing strategies to manage human-wildlife conflicts. Kiiru countered industry claims, stating, "Arguments are made that American children need to see elephants so that they can appreciate them. The sight of sick, depressed, and miserable elephants in unnatural settings and social groups is not what it takes to inspire appreciation Technology, ingenuity, and other resources should be employed to introduce children to these animals without using and abusing them. This will inspire far greater and more appropriate understanding."

Blayne Doyle, a police officer for 34 years, was assigned to work traffic detail at a circus in Palm Bay, Florida, on February 1, 1992. During that dreadful day, an 8,000-pound Asian elephant named Janet rampaged with a mother and five children on her back, forcing Doyle to shoot her 34 times. Doyle testified that a bullhook "will not protect the public from a rampaging elephant" and that "bullhooks do not ensure control and are made to induce pain for compliance only." He also stated, "I have seen my share of danger over the past four decades, but I can assure you that although I've been shot and stabbed; been in automobile, motorcycle, and airplane accidents; and been in more than my share of other life-threatening situations, I have never seen a situation as frightening—or one I was less capable of controlling—than that day that Janet snapped and ran amok."

Les Schobert has more than 30 years of experience in virtually all facets of elephant care and management, including daily care, medical issues, species management, importation, and transportation. Schobert worked as general curator at the Los Angeles and the North Carolina zoos and told hearing attendees, "You might assume that the professional organization—the AZA—would incorporate stringent standards for the care and management of elephants, but unfortunately, this is not true. The reality is that the AZA is an industry trade organization regulated by the operators of zoos themselves. Any incorporation of costly new mandatory standards for elephants would surely raise the ire of those institutions holding elephants. So zoos are asked to adhere to minimal standards ... 1,800 square feet of space outdoors for an elephant and 400 square feet indoors—a 20-[by]-20-foot cubicle for an animal that in the wild walks tens of miles a day and is in constant motion. You may be surprised to learn that these meager standards still have not been met by all AZA zoos holding elephants. The AZA itself reports that 'more than 50 percent of AZA institutions displaying elephants do not meet AZA Standards for Elephant Management and Care.' This is obviously an industry that either is incapable of or is unwilling to regulate itself. Therefore, the AZA is not capable of mandating a high quality of life for elephants."

Dr. Keith Lindsay has nearly 30 years of professional experience in research, management, and conservation with regard to African elephants and their ecosystems. He is currently a conservation biologist and project manager based in Oxford, England. He has worked on biodiversity research and conservation-related projects around the world and began his work with elephants in 1977 at the Amboseli Elephant Research Project in southern Kenya. Lindsay began his testimony by urging the committee to ask themselves, "Why are elephants kept in captivity—for understanding the real animals or for simple amusement? Which is right—to treat animals humanely or to make them suffer for our amusement or even our education?" He then stated, "I think everyone would agree that we want to understand the real life of elephants and that they should never suffer at our hands. 'Real' elephants are not sedentary, isolated, and submissively docile animals. They are active and mobile, sociable and spirited. Conditions of captivity should allow the expression of these qualities. Their absence indicates that the conditions are below minimum humane standards."

Patti Miles worked at the Detroit Zoological Institute for nine years. For more than six years, she was the elephant keeper responsible for providing enrichment, training, cleaning, and husbandry care for two Asian elephants and took part in the decision to close the elephant exhibit and move the elephants to a sanctuary, which was based entirely on ethical reasons, a historical first among zoos. Miles asserted that even though the enclosure spaces of the zoo's elephants exceeded AZA standards and despite "efforts to provide a stimulating and dynamic environment, such as improving floor coverings by placing sand in the stall in lieu of cement and increasing staffing hours, the elephants' problems persisted, especially during the winter months. The elephants spent more time in stereotypic trances, pacing, rocking, and swaying." She also commented on the rapid improvement that Winky and Wanda have made since their move to a more spacious home by mentioning that "[s]ix months after their arrival at the sanctuary, the physical and mental health of both elephants had noticeably improved. They have lost excess weight, developed new social bonds, and begun healing chronic pad and nail abscesses."

Dr. Mel Richardson has 36 years of professional experience with elephants and other animals. He was first hired as a zookeeper in 1969 for the Atlanta Zoo. After becoming a zoo and wildlife veterinarian in 1982, Richardson worked with elephants at the International Wildlife Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, the Dallas Zoo, the Woodland Park Zoo in Washington, and the San Antonio Zoo. Richardson refuted zoo industry claims that there is no scientific evidence to support the contention that lack of space is causing elephants to suffer foot and joint problems, citing the industry's own case studies in The Elephant's Foot: Prevention and Care of Foot Conditions in Captive Asian and African Elephants. He reported, "Empirical data in medical records and keeper logs confirm that elephants in zoos suffer from captivity-induced foot and joint problems, such as arthritis, sole and digital abscesses, ingrown and cracked toenails, leg stiffness, swelling, and hyperkeratosis caused by lack of normal wear, which can lead to bacterial infections. Even young adolescent elephants frequently experience symptoms of these ailments." Richardson concluded, "All too often, we hear that zoos are humanely killing an elephant because of painful arthritis and osteomyelitis. It is time to give captive elephants a humane life, not just a humane death."

Carol Buckley has more than 30 years of professional experience in the care and management of Asian elephants. In 1995, she cofounded The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, the nation's largest natural-habitat refuge for former zoo and circus elephants, to specifically meet elephants' physical, social, and psychological needs. She presides as executive director of the 2,700-acre sanctuary, where three African and 16 endangered Asian elephants permanently reside. Buckley told the committee that "[f]reedom of movement and access to natural habitat is essential for maintaining good foot health as well as optimal mental health." Buckley told the story of "Jenny, an Asian elephant, [who] arrived at the sanctuary with overgrown and infected pads, nails, and cuticles. Jenny's daily routine of mud-bath excavations, swimming, digging, dusting, and tree felling allowed pad trimming to be discontinued within six weeks of her arrival. She no longer needs foot soaks or pad or nail grooming." No bullhooks, electric-shock devices, or chains are used at the sanctuary.

Dr. Isis Johnson Brown became a veterinarian in 1991. As a veterinary medical officer, she conducted animal welfare inspections of zoos and circuses in Oregon for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for two years, between 1997 and 1999. Johnson Brown presented evidence that local legislation such as the elephant-protection ordinance is necessary to ensure proper protection of elephants in Chicago and condemned the USDA for its poor job of enforcing and upholding the minimum standards in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), noting, "The system is not set up to protect animals. Instead of protecting animals as required by law under the AWA, the USDA most often protects the financial interests of the licensees. Many complaints are filed with no action taken by the USDA."

Tom Rider is a former circus employee who has more than three years of experience working with elephants in circuses. He worked for Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus in 1997 as an elephant keeper and for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the elephant barn from June 1997 to November 1999. Rider asserted, "Bullhooks are not 'guides'; bullhooks are weapons. A guide should not be a sharp steel-tipped device with a heavy handle that easily rips an elephant's sensitive skin." Rider also noted, "Even baby elephants are subjected to extreme cruelty. Baby Benjamin was systematically abused in an effort to quash his natural rambunctiousness. ... Benjamin was beaten simply for trying to interact with another baby. Benjamin was killed in a pond at 4 years of age while trying to get away from a trainer who was prodding him with a bullhook."

Cal Dupree cofounded and coproduced UniverSoul Circus and served as its ringmaster under the stage name "Casual Cal" for 12 years. Dupree recently founded the Bumpin' Big Top Circus, which combines a variety show with traditional circus acts, a live band, and no animal acts. The Bumpin' Big Top Circus' motto is "People Performing for People." He urged passage of Chicago's elephant-protection ordinance, noting that "[t]he circus teaches children to disrespect animals" and that "[e]lephant acts are outdated and became passé with audiences attending UniverSoul Circus."