End cruel treatment of circus animals

To the editor,

I am writing to ask that everyone who cares about animals contact their state representatives, and ask them to vote “YES” for Beulah’s Law, HB5293, an Act of Prohibiting the Use of Wild or Exotic Animals in Traveling Animal Acts. It is coming up for a vote in the House on April 13. These Acts have been banned in Stamford and Bridgeport. We need to make this happen for the entire State of Connecticut.

Animals in Circuses and Traveling shows live a lifetime of misery. They are forced to do painful and frightening “tricks” for human entertainment. If they do not perform, the trainers use a bullhook, which is a painful, extremely sharp hook with which they hit the paper thin skin behind the elephant’s ear, or around their eyes. These majestic animals live in a constant state of fear.

Circus animals travel for up to 50 weeks a year, often in a cramped trucks with little ventilation, in extreme heat and cold weather. The animals can become dangerous, when they can no longer take the abuse, causing a serious safety risk to the public.

This is 2022. It is no longer 1960 where people could claim ignorance on how these animals are treated. Many states no longer allow this abusive business to come into their communities. We have a moral obligation to do the right thing. “When you know better, you do better.” We now know better.

Please, contact your state representatives. Ask them to vote “Yes” on Beulah’s Law HB5293.

Representatives: Vincent Candelora, email: Vincent.candelora@housegop.ct.gov/. Phone:860-842-1423; Jason Rojas, email: Jason.Rojas@cga.ct.gov. Phone:860-240-8586.

Senators: Kevin Kelly, email: Kevin.Kelly@cga.ct.gov. Phone: 800-842-1421; Bob Duff, Email: bob@bobduff.com Phone: 860-240-0414

Betsy Burmeister, a member of Residents Against Circus Suffering, is a Redding resident.