The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be allowed to use bullhooks on elephants during its performances in Atlanta this week despite a countywide ban on the devices. Laura The Atlanta mounted police unit will be allowed to use spurs on horse's while it escort's Whitney Houston's funeral procession in Atlanta this week despite a countywide ban on the devices. Wade Bullhooks are tools with long handles and a sharp hook at one end that allows trainers to apply varying degrees of pressure to sensitive spots on an elephant’s body. Circuses say the tools are necessary for the safe handling of elephants, but critics say bullhooks are harmful to the animals. Laura Spurs are tools with long shanks and often a rowel with varying degree's of sharpness that allows mounted police officers and horse trainers to apply varying degrees of pressure to sensitive spots on a horse's body. Mounted police units say the tools are necessary for the safe handling of horse's, but critics say spurs are harmful to the animals. Wade In June, Fulton County commissioners voted for a ban on the controversial devices, becoming the first Georgia jurisdiction to do so, but on Tuesday, Feb. 14, a Fulton County Superior Court Judge issued an order that temporarily overrode the ban. Laura In June, Fulton County commissioners voted for a ban on the controversial devices, becoming the first Georgia jurisdiction to do so, but on Tuesday, Feb. 14, a Fulton County Superior Court Judge issued an order that temporarily overrode the ban. Wade In his order, Fulton County Superior Court Judge John Goger said the city of Atlanta had not adopted an elephant ordinance of its own. He also said there is no intergovernmental agreement between the county and the city for animal control services, which enforces the ban. Laura In his order, Fulton County Superior Court Judge John Goger said the city of Atlanta had not adopted a horse ordinance of its own. He also said there is no intergovernmental agreement between the county and the city for animal control services, which enforces the ban. Wade However, Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts says the city has been paying for and using those county services.
"It says to me even in the absence of a signed document there is an implied agreement and therefore we have the right to enforce this provision in the city of Atlanta," he told The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Laura However, Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts says the city has been paying for and using those county services.
"It says to me even in the absence of a signed document there is an implied agreement and therefore we have the right to enforce this provision in the city of Atlanta," he told The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Wade Pitts says he supports the bullhook ban because he believes the tools are harmful to elephants. Laura Pitts says he supports the spur ban because he believes the tools are harmful to horses. Wade Steven Payne, a spokesman for Feld Entertainment, the parent company for Ringling Brothers, says that the bullhook is simply “an extension of the handler’s hand” and that it is “an invaluable tool in the humane and safe handling of elephants.” He also said that without the use of bullhooks, Ringling Brothers would have canceled its Atlanta tour, which began on Wednesday at Phillips Arena. Laura Joe Paloca a spokesman for the city of Atlanta, who employ's the Atlanta mounted police unit, says that the spur is simply “an extension of the policeman's leg” and that it is “an invaluable tool in the humane and safe handling of horses.” He also said that without the use of spurs, the mounted unit would not be able to carry on it's duties at Phillips Arena, or anyplace else in Atlanta, for that matter. Wade Animal rights group People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals staged a protest outside the arena on Wednesday with a large inflatable elephant wearing a sign that read, "Step Right Up! See shackles, bullhooks, and loneliness at the circus." Laura Animal rights group People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals staged a protest outside the mayor's office on Wednesday with a large inflatable horse wearing a sign that read, "Line Up Here! See bit's, spur's, and other tool's of subjugation used by the police unit to dominate their lonely horses." Wade theFulton County officials are considering citing circus workers for cruelty to animals if there is evidence of abuse, animal control official Tony Phillips told the AJC on Wednesday. Laura Fulton County officials are considering citing police officers for cruelty to animals if there is evidence of abuse, animal control official Tony Phillips told the AJC on Wednesday. Wade 'There, it should be crystal clear what is going on here in the Land of The Free and The Brave.'
The Atlanta mounted police unit currently has twelve officers, all wearing spur's with now fear of reprisal for "animal abuse." Eleven officers and their mounts are assigned to patrol a regular beat and special details, such as festivals, parades and other community events. One additional officer and three horses are in training. The unit is expected to expand to 18 officers and mounts over the next 3 years.
Equestrians(which would include Atlanta's mounted police unit) commonly wear spurs to emphasize their leg aids. The leg aids, USUALLY(interpret "usually" for yourself) pressing the heels against the horse's sides, urge the mount to move off or transition from a slower gait to a faster gait. When spurs are applied, the horse feels a SHARPER(sharp as a tack or a sharp tongue?) urgency from the rider and PAYS CLOSER ATTENTION(you can interpret this as "controlling an animal hundreds of pounds larger then you") to what the rider is asking it to do. When properly used, spurs are an extension of your leg aids, allowing your cues to the horse to be SUBTLER AND MORE REFINED(you may not even have to use them each time, but they are still there, just in case......... Like a bull hook off stage Ernie or a bull hook held wrong with the metal hidden in your hand to hide it from pubic view.) Learning how to ride wearing spurs so that you don't desensitize or PHYSICALLY HARM( oh, so it is possible with a spur) your horse takes practice and EXPERIENCE.( So I guess it doesn't matter if YOU own it, or how many generations of family trained before you.)
For anyone who has been isolated on an island for the last 1000 years, and has just been rescued, enlarge these picture's if you don't know what a spur is. It is the "tool" on the end of the "leg aid" which extends from the police officers crotch down to his ankle. It has been called the same thing, serves the same purpose for centuries and centuries. Still used today, still called a spur, and still not banned. What's up with that?
Laura Moss from Mother Nature Network and I are going to co-author this story to see if we can make sense of this insanity!!!!!
Fulton County banned bullhooks in June, but a superior court judge overruled the ban for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Laura
Fulton County banned spurs in June, but a superior court judge overruled the ban for the Atlanta Mounted Police Unit. Wade
Monday, February 20, 2012
Spurs Used On Police Horses In Atlanta Despite County Ban OR Bullhooks used on circus elephants in Atlanta despite county ban
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
Most "animal rights legislation" is discriminatory, as is this Fulton County/Atlanta matter. In Connecticut, the state representative who annually sponsers an identical bill, owns horses and uses multiple tools INCLUDING spurs, and that is "ok" with her. But the circus is NOT "ok" with her. Animal Rights is a FOR PROFIT business, and legislation such as this is intended to drive publicity that drives their profitable business. This is discriminatory and ridiculous. We need to expose this for what it is.
Gary,
Well said. As I have studied and really learned what has been occurring the past couple of years, and quit reacting with a knee jerk, I have a different line of thought because now I understand it fully.
Only facts, not some feel good pr spittle should sort it out. I pray will all my heart, before it is too late. "Old timers", who are sitting back because, "we got ours" need to do some soul searching. They are in the same Private Idaho, as the animal rights movement, who are now trying to "get theirs." This ball of shit started rolling long ago, and the "old timers" who happily collected their dukie each week, with no thought to change, or the future owe it to the "newbies" who are now trying to collect a dukie in this morass that was left to them.
Wade
Wade
Post a Comment