North American Falconers Association
If you click on "about falconry" you will see "ethics"Effort and Ethics
Of all sports in America, falconry is the only one that utilizes a trained wild creature. Falcons, hawks, eagles and owls are essential elements of our wildlife. The competent falconer takes care to follow sound conservation principles in the pursuit of the sport. Even though the federal government's environmental assessment states falconry has "no impact" on wild raptor populations, a careless, uninformed individual, attempting to satisfy a passing fancy, can do great harm to one or more birds and cast the shadow of discredit on the sport of falconry itself. Most falconers, therefore, before they will agree to help anyone newly attracted to the sport, will require evidence of a serious, committed interest in falconry.
If you click on the "ethics" link at effort and ethics you will find that "Falconry" is very well defined as to "what it is", pretty much eliminating anything or anybody else.Falconry does not include the keeping of birds of prey as pets or prestige items, for captive-breeding purposes, for rehabilitation or education purposes, for shows, renaissance fairs and the like, or for purely scientific purposes.
The NAFA is only concerned with "Falconry" as defined by the association. There are other organizations to deal with captive breeding, rehabilitation, education purposes, shows, etc. etc.
Click on "about Falconry" and you will see "Falconry ethics". Click on that and you will see:
| Legal Obligations of Falconers | |
| Falconers must practice falconry in accordance with existing laws.
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Falconry in the past, falconry today
In addition there is the IAF an international association of which the North American Falconry Association is affiliated:International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds ...
The mission of the IAF is:As an international non-government organisation, the constitutional objectives of the International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey are:
1. To represent falconry throughout the world. Falconry is the traditional sport of taking quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of trained birds of prey. It is a hunting art.
2. To preserve and encourage falconry within the context of sustainable use of wildlife.
3.To encourage conservation, the ecological and veterinary research on birds of prey and to promote, under scientific guidance, domestic propagation for falconry
4. To develop, maintain and amend national and international laws, treaties and conventions to permit the pursuit and perpetuation of falconry.
5. To require the observation of falconry, hunting, conservation and welfare laws, regulations, traditions and culture with regard to the taking, import, export and keeping of birds of prey, the taking of quarry species and the right of access to land in the country concerned.
6. To promote and uphold a positive public image of falconry with specialist organizations which regulate or otherwise affect falconry.
The IAF currently federates 70 falconry clubs from 48 countries.
All Member Organisations have subscribed to these constitutional objectives of the association. The association is managed by the President, assisted by two Vice-Presidents and an Advisory Committee of 12 members. Three of these advisors are professional biologists. This allows the IAF to take decisions or make recommendations within the context of sustainable use of wildlife.
Let's look at other animal organizations similar to ours:
International Marine Animal Trainers Association
Click on "Code of Professional Ethics" it reads in part:The International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association (IMATA) recognizes its role in and responsibilities to the continued existence of oceanaria, aquaria, and laboratories housing marine animals. Trainers and other personnel involved in the husbandry and research of interplay between themselves, the animals in their care, and communities in which they live and work, and the public which they serve and to which they are ultimately responsible. Members of this Association, specifically, must maintain the fortitude and insight necessary to demonstrate a sense of responsibility, beyond reproach, within the principles of professionalism dictated by morality, logic, and knowledge. These are the qualities to which the Association and every member of the marine animal community must aspire. As a result, the highest standards of ethical conduct are expected of the members of this Association at all times in all places.
Click on "Committees" then click on "Accreditation" or in other words, who is qualified:
Mission Statement:
To create metrics for the evaluation of training programs utilized by marine animal facilities, to insure they are equivalent or exceed standards set forth by IMATA's guidelines.
Dolphin Trainer .com - Marine Mammal Information Site
Click on "about us":
Our Mission: To provide the most accurate, useful and compelling information, insights, graphics and resources available on the subject of marine mammal care and training.
Purpose of this Site: As part of our regular jobs we are often asked the same basic questions about the animals, our jobs, career planning, etc. We have created this site to answer many of those questions and to share some of our insights and interests about a subject that we are passionately committed to.
Mission of Circusnospin:
A Blog designed for discussion of topics related to, but not limited to, Circus, Zoos, Animal Training, and Animal Welfare/Husbandry. Sometimes opening up the dialog is the best starting point of all. And if for nothing else when people who agree and don't agree, get together and start discussing it, it will open up a lot of peoples minds. Debate and discussion even amongst themselves opens a window where there wasn't one before.When this blog was started to address, by myself and 3 other individuals, "censored" comments on another site, in an effort at getting all the facts out there, three of them bailed out because they were getting too much heat. I then changed the mission statement to the one above and continued with circusnospin. It is the same mission statement that Dolphin Trainer. com addresses. We have had countless threads on training of animals. How much insight or "how to tips" have been shared or forthcoming?
The following information is SeaWorld's basic job description, requirements, and background information on an entry-level animal trainer position:Qualification required for marine mammal trainer? - Yahoo! UK ...
Home of the Arabian Horse Association
Click on"Membership" and then click on "Censures and Suspensions" to see "The following individuals are under suspension by the AHA Ethical Practice Review Board". This organization as well as most Equine Associations has a committee of "Professional Trainers" which requires much more qualification then just buying a membership.A little over a year ago, in Orlando Florida there was a "meeting" of animal regulation officials and circus trainers, as well as interested fans. It was in a sense "historic" and could have possibly led to other "meetings and dialog" in the future. Do you know how it ended? It ended with a fist fight!!!! That's right a fist fight by one of the "professional circus animal trainers." What are the chance's that any of the "professional" organizations listed above with "ethics" would have embraced, condoned, and protected that individual? Or would he at least have been penalized and at worse suspended for life for those actions reflecting on his association?
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The beef industry, the pork industry, the poultry industry, the sheep industry etc. etc. all have an association with a mission as well as an ethics and conduct committee, and deal with issues of animal rights, just as the circus does. I can't speak to Australia Steve and Kelly but in the United States here is what we have:
European Circus Association - News
Unlike the International Association for Falconry there is no indication for the public that the above organization has anything to do with Australia or the United States.
Circus Fans Association of America
As much as I love with a passion a marbled rib eye, or eggs with my biscuits and sausage gravy, neither the beef industry, or the poultry or pork industry has felt the need to have me run their association for them so at least they feel they are "taking care of their business."
Home | OABA
OABA Circus Fund | OABA
Originally an organization formed by the carnival industry(not to be confused with the Ohio Agribusiness Association(OABA), later adding a circus division as after all a circus in a tent is an outdoor amusement business also, again like the CFA manned by some of the greatest "volunteers" in the world who love the industry with all their heart. Just like I love meat, and the rodeo. Only thing is they are not sitting back, and letting me "take care of their business." I also don't note an "ethics or code of conduct" committee associated with either of the two organizations above. If I have missed it, please correct me.
If you have elephants, but not felines, horses, or any other animal in the circus that trainers train, you might have this:
Elephant ManagersAssociation Homepage
When this fine organization formed a number of years ago, there was great and heated debate over whether it would only be for "zoo associated" members. They didn't want to allow "circus trainers", but graciously accepted after much discussion. Kind of a pity party like the organizations above which included circus animal trainers. They also have a "ethics and code of conduct" committee, as well as certain "requirements." I wonder if they support and condone fist fighting at meetings or in their industry?There is even one for Europeans:
European Elephant Keeper and Manager Association (EEKMA)
Australia as I understand it had a "producers" association to address animal rights. Were they interested in issues concerning the "training industry?" Far from it, they were interested in only protecting material needed to produce their product.Where is the Circus Animal Trainers Association with a standard, code of ethics, qualifications,
employment requirements, questions answered, etc. etc. to confront animal rights issues? Why is everyone else attempting to do it for us, yet not having the success as of yet of the hundreds and hundreds of other associations? The real question is "why are we letting everyone else attempt to take care of our business?" Is a Standard as well as Qualifying Requirements, and a Code of Conduct that scary or that far out of the realm of comprehension for a Circus Animal Trainer Association? Might be better to drop the circus and call it Exotic/Equine Animal Trainers Association.
Posts
7 comments:
Mate - here in Australia we have been ahead of you blokes for 30 years or more.
We have had a Circus Federation, we have developed self-regulatory standards for keeping AND training and we have encouraged our standards to be legislated into law.
We don't have an animal act producers/trainers association because we don't have independently produced acts in this country. Most of our animal acts are show-owned.
If you doubt how far ahead we are, have a look at to-day's history Channel and Jimmy Hall's great pics of Tarzan's Fort Worth Shrine date. There, in the bowels of a building, are the Hawthorn tiger cages. No criticism intended of the people who own and work this act but, I've got to tell you, cages like these have been banned in Australia for near 30 years. We have clearly defined spatial [including height] requirements in our Standards plus it is mandatory that cats get out of their cages into exercise areas as well.
My feeling is that none of your American act owner/producers want to know anything about Standards for fear of the huge upgrades that they are all going to have to make.
Wade, The FCF has implemented A standards program for facilities to be members and a handler/trainer rating from beginner, intermediate, to advandaced, for private owners of felines. Its not perfect but it is a starting point.
G'day Darryl,
Thanks for that info.
I couldn't find this on their website - could you post a link please?
Thanks.
Steve,
I note you use the past tense of "have had" a Circus Federation, and I note that it was "self-regulatory." Self-regulatory being standard operating procedure for every animal act in the circus. "Self-regulatory" I assume meaning "what each individual thinks is best." How did(again assuming the past tense)you make sure each member stayed true to that "self-regulation?" Was there a penalty, fine, or some other disciplinary action if the "self-regulatory" standard were not met? Come on, mate. Good intentions don't count as a "standard." I can understand anybody wanting "their" standards legislated into law. But they sure howl if "somebody else's" standards are legislated into law. I really don't see where you are 30 years ahead of anybody, Steve.
"We don't have an animal act producers/trainers association because we don't have independently produced acts in this country. Most of our animal acts are show-owned."
That is what makes it difficult Steve, and why it can't be a "what's good for me mentality," patting our back, pointing out how somebody else is wrong, because they don't do it like we do. Any trainers association with standards and ethics has to be devoid of any "producer" influence to be valid. The two have two different agendas. In the Colonies, historically acts have been about equal show owned and independent. That is one of the major differences. The second and most important is that a majority of the show's since the 50's have taken place in buildings. The easiest place to put on a show is a "circus building" designed for that purpose, or a tent which is "circus building" designed for that purpose. Yes lot's are getting smaller and few and far between, but you normally have the same space in which to set "beast wagons" or elephant picket lines. It very seldom changes. In a building it changes at each date.
Continued.
Steve,
As you mention Ft. Wayne(not Ft. Worth) you are obviously aware of the major difference in an Australian tent circus, and an American circus which plays in a building.
If you doubt how far ahead we are, have a look at to-day's history Channel and Jimmy Hall's great pics of Tarzan's Fort Worth Shrine date. "There, in the bowels of a building, are the Hawthorn tiger cages. No criticism intended of the people who own and work this act but, I've got to tell you, cages like these have been banned in Australia for near 30 years. We have clearly defined spatial [including height] requirements in our Standards plus it is mandatory that cats get out of their cages into exercise areas as well."
In all my years of dealing with felines, I have never seen, any indication that height is a necessary requirement. Ever. Unless you are housing primates, birds, or squirrels. Give them a bench up high, and they will use it to sleep. Give them a rock formation in an exhibit and the will use it for the same purpose. Unless enticed to they will not go up, in captivity and in the wild. Remove 10 ft. of floor space to built a gunnite mountain and you have done a feline a disservice, but granted it looks nice. In a cage you go into to clean, yes you need "height" so a person can stand instead of crouching to clean. Other then that height is of now use. Even in an arena with the sky the limit they don't go there or utilize it.
One show has a beast wagon Ringling, and it was built in 1992 for me, with rolling cages to take the animals into the building. I have used both and find the rolling cages far superior and more utilitarian then any beast wagon, unless it is a tent show. Then they are better as they are much easier to place, and don't require moving each and every show. Other then that they are very limiting. Ringling transports by train, which is why they can transport a beast wagon, as well as rolling cages.
What are the size requirements for the semi trailers that you use in Australia to transport a beast wagon, Steve? Here in the Colonies it is 13'6" high, 8 foot wide, and 45 ft. long. How wide and how long are your beast wagons Steve? I am not interested in height. Just length and width. The Ft. Wayne date you would have had to have turned down Steve. A beast wagon would not have made it into the building.
The tigers in the picture had just spent 2 months in warm Miami at a park outdoors doing 3 to 4 shows a day. Big park lot of room, much like a tent. The tigers were turned loose to "exercise" daily in the morning before the show and often in the evening if time permitted after the show. They then drove to Ft. Wayne in the middle of winter blizzards to do 4 day's of shows. The beast wagon you note and frown upon is actually 8' wide and 40' long. It is articulated so that it can turn and bend around corners, pillars, walls, etc. An "exercise" cage would have been next to impossible to set up given the other animals as well as other equipment in the basement(if it would have been necessary doing 4 shows a day. You enter the building down a long narrow tunnel, which as I stated earlier is as far as your beast wagon would have gotten. You would not have even gotten into the building.
Continued
Steve,
I can't speak to this year, but the one, and only one time, I played this date, the cages had to be loaded one at a time in a elevator and taken up to the performance floor. The year I was there, the building was undergoing renovation and the elevator was closed off. Nobody knew that until we arrived. We had to then take the animals up a long steep "S" shaped tunnel with a bob cat. To come back down, a bobcat had to be attached to the back so that the articulated beast wagon would not jack knife, and brought down in two sections of one articulated beast wagon of 8' X 32' and one articulated beast wagon of 8' X 24'.
Similar situation in Evanville at the Turkey Festival. The tigers have to be kept, no choice what's so ever in a small alcove with elephants, horses, chimp truck, dog truck, and other equipment in the main room. For years we could put one beast wagon measuring 8' X 32' on one side with 2 'foot to spare, and one beast wagon measuring 8' X 24' on the other side with 5' to spare. In 2006 we were going to use 19 animals which would have meant taking two extra cages, and an extra truck/trailer. At the last minute we decided against it. It was a good thing we did, because during the year that had put a corner in the alcove to enlarge the room behind, and we couldn't even put what we in two lines of 3 and 4. We had to put them 5 and two or they would have never fit. These aren't isolated incidences Steve. They are what a building circus has dealt with since the 1950's.
"My feeling is that none of your American act owner/producers want to know anything about Standards for fear of the huge upgrades that they are all going to have to make."
Act owner and producer are two different things in the Colonies Steve. While it may be tradition in Europe for the owner to be the trainer, like the king owned the early menageries, the monarchy mentality doesn't fly or indicate that they know what to do with the animal just because they own it. J Paul Getty had bears. Was he qualified just because he could buy them? Was Heart qualified by a standard to own a zoo?
The one and only one year I went to Ft. Wayne we arrived at 9:00 PM in the evening in a blinding snow storm only to be told we could not put the animals in the building until 8:00 in the morning when the Shrine had rented it. Even with my "strong" objections, and reassurance's from people who knew less then nothing that they would be all right, the "producer" couldn't do anything because the Shrine told him what to do, and the Shrine was sure not going to fork out a couple of grand more for rent for some tigers, they spent the night in the truck. I guess they were warm, because everybody less qualified told me they were, plus I wasn't in the truck with them.
My intention was to discuss "training standards" and how the animals are handled, and not husbandry. Berthold Lubektin built a penguin pool but didn't know squat about what a penguin needed, so I husbandry is another issue. Here in the Colonies the USDA tells us what size we need, we don't get to decide and "self regulate." A producer and a trainer are two different animals and have two different agendas, just as in most horse associations there is a trainers organization and an open organization for trainers and owners. Why do the owners need the trainers, Steve? Because there has been a standard set that the owner can't achieve unless they are going to devote the time a trainer does. They are normally too busy running other business.
Continued
Steve,
I think like the Falconry Industry there needs to be country organization as well as an international one, unless we are no longer going to use the term "circus". Because of the lumping together with something that has the same name, what occurs in Europe affects you and I, what occurs in North American affects Europe. I have had something done in Australia and Europe held up to me as an example of why the circus is wrong for animals, as I am sure you have too. Every time a "circus" is busted in China, South America Spain, etc. etc. etc. they look at "us" as a whole.
"My feeling is that none of your American act owner/producers want to know anything about Standards for fear of the huge upgrades that they are all going to have to make." I have never seen an Australian beast wagon Steve, but I have seen European ones, as well as American ones. I have seen pictures though, and in addition to size requirements for the tractor trailer to haul one, and the size of one plus the size requirement for each animal, I would appreciate it if you could send me a picture of the new ones with the "huge upgrades.
Thanks, mate.
Wade
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