Americans are becoming increasingly aware that circus animals in the US suffer from violent training techniques and severe confinement which are unavoidable due to the constraints of constant travel on the road.
The Bolivian, Greek and Dutch governments have announced their ban on the use of wild animals in circuses. The UK is preparing to do the same. As self-proclaimed ‘leaders’ of the free world, it is time for the U.S. to wake up and back up their image of kindness, compassion, protection and preservation of our shared planet.
Our voices can be heard.
The information below will help us
collectively communicate the need to protect traveling circus animals:
Email Congress
Ask them to sign the Traveling Exoctic Animal Protection Act #HR3359
Calls and emails are to Congress members D.C. offices will have the immediate impact the animals need, but please follow up with a letter mailed to their district offices, not in D.C. as all mail going to the Capitol gets irradiated to protect from anthrax, and therefore is not as likely to get their attention.
Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Representative’s office. (Please do not call your Senator at this time as a companion bill in the Senate has not yet been introduced.)
~~~
Raise Awareness
Individuals make a difference.
Utilize social media platforms,
Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, blogs and email
to raise awareness of the need for protection of animals used for entertainment purposes.
~~~
Empathize
Understand what is happening from the circus animal’s point of view
Hands of men viciously tear her from her mother’s loving care
a wooden box their choice of containment of a tiny baby bear.
This story is told in honor of those who work to send the heroes there
and with hopes of raising consciousness of mankind everywhere
*
Stuffed roughly and mercilessly
inside of the box
in which she does not fit
she screams, she begs, she cries out
to her mother who paces
frantically, helplessly, hysterically
from behind the fence between them
she cannot reach nor save her baby
all pleas of mercy ignored
grace withheld
resistance futile
desperate claws
arms reaching out
hands of men,
ruthlessly
force the ultimate submission
carelessly inflicting pain
overpowered – letting go
heavy lid sealed down upon her
into the darkness
of only sounds
of her mother’s desperate protests
of hammering of nails above her head
and the heartbreaking clinkity-clink
of a handful of coins
her freedom in trade of
profit from animal trade.
*
Next light finds her
caged
all alone(ly)
her only company
staring human animals
who gain for the price
of a cup of coffee
a few minutes
of moderate curious satisfaction
at the cost of
her ‘unbearable’ loss.
*
In the pit of sadness
hope diminishing increasingly
she begins the gradual acceptance
of what is
as abused and captive
animal spirits
usually do
succumbing to indifferent emptiness
of the imprisoned reality inflicted
at the hands of men
*
Weeks pass
the sun grows hot
and just as the last bits of
her memory of freedom begin to wilt
a change fills the air when
riding upon white horses
of metal and roaring of sound
throngs of angels arrive
attached to
hands of men
reaching out to save her
gently,
protectively,
capably
lifting her from hell
and with loving whispers deliver her
into the promised land
of grapes and bread soaked in honey
to a place of space and care
absent forever from cruelty
to roam where peace abounds
a lifetime warrantee
(and a swimming pond)
man’s gift to her
a second chance at life
outside of the box.
~~~
Live Long Nastia!
Author: Gerean Pflug, The Animal Spirits, 11/28/2012
All rights reserved. Copy permitted only with link back to this page.
~~~
NOTE: The above prose is dedicated to Nastia and was written to generate empathy and to honor the super heroes: Dr. Amir Khalil & Helmut Dungler, CEO of FOUR PAWS, UK, as well as the hundreds of staff members, volunteers and donors who actively protect the welfare of our precious wildlife. Special thanks to French animal welfare organization “30 Millions d’Amis” for the role they played in protecting Baby Nastia. Blessings on the heads and hands of brave and noble men about the work of setting a standard of honorable leadership through the rightness of empathy, compassion and a dedication to preserve the dignity of The Animal Spirits.
Thank you, Gerean Pflug
~~~
THE STORY OF NASTIA THE BABY BEAR- VIDEO
~~~
Read the article, published today, 11/28/2012, by Four Paws, UK at:
THE ANIMAL SPIRITS 